According to the Vietnam Astronomy and Astrophysics Association (VACA), the Leonids meteor shower originates from debris left by the comet 55P Tempel-Tuttle. As this comet approaches the Sun, it sheds numerous small meteor fragments that spread out in space and intersect Earth’s orbit.
The peak of the Leonids meteor shower will occur on the night of November 17 into the early morning of November 18. Under a dark, moonless sky, you can observe 10 to 15 Leonid meteors per hour.
The peak of the Leonids meteor shower will occur on the night of November 17 into the early morning of November 18.
Each year, as Earth passes through this debris field, fragments the size of pebbles streak through the atmosphere, burning up and creating the meteors of the Leonids. The name “Leonids” derives from the fact that the region where most of the meteors appear is located in the constellation Leo.
Historically, the Leonids have been known for producing some of the most significant meteor showers, with instances of unusually high meteor counts—thousands of meteors per hour—referred to by observers as a “meteor storm” or likened to the roar of a lion. Such bursts occur when Earth passes through the densest part of the debris left by the comet.
However, predictions indicate that a Leonids meteor storm will not occur until 2033. This means that this year’s Leonids will be an average meteor shower, with a density of only about 20 to a maximum of 30 meteors per hour at its peak, even under the best observing conditions.
Nonetheless, similar to how the Moon can obscure parts of the sky, if weather conditions are favorable, you will still have plenty of opportunities to witness many remarkable trails of the Leonids.
The famous Leonids meteor shower created one of the largest meteor storms, with speeds reaching thousands of meteors per minute for about 15 minutes on the morning of November 17, 1966. That night, Leonid meteors fell like rain for a brief moment. Some witnesses were profoundly impressed by the sensation of Earth moving through space, wading through a stream of meteors.
