The annual Leonid meteor bathe peak is coming this weekend, and whereas it will not be the brightest and most spectacular meteor occasion of the yr, it is nonetheless price searching for out.
The Leonids consequence from the Earth passing by means of the path of the comet Tempel-Tuttle (55P/Tempel-Tuttle), which was first found in 1865. However meteor bathe predates that: The 1833 occasion is claimed to have produced over 100,000 meteors an hour, and the 1966 bathe noticed 1000’s of meteors per minute in a 15-minute span within the early hours of Nov. 17. The most effective storms circle again about each 33 years—2024 is not one in every of them, however the Leonids will likely be most seen to devoted skywatchers in just some days.
The way to watch this yr’s Leonid bathe
The 2024 Leonid bathe has been energetic since Nov. 3 and is predicted to peak early on Nov. 18, with the perfect viewing late on Nov. 17 into the early hours of November 18 (and presumably the morning of Nov. 17 as properly). Whereas the meteors radiate from some extent close to the constellation Leo, they will probably seem in all components of the night time sky.
In best situations, the Leonids produce 10–15 meteors per hour. Sadly, the bathe will not be as seen this yr because of a waning gibbous moon, which will likely be 98% illuminated on peak night time. However that does not imply it will likely be a whole bust. EarthSky has a handful of suggestions for minimizing moon interference:
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Discover an open house with minimal gentle air pollution.
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Sit in a shadow, whether or not that is a peak or a row of tall bushes or subsequent to a constructing.
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Give attention to the standard of particular person meteors versus the amount of the bathe as a complete.
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Search for earthgrazers (long-lasting meteors touring horizontally) and fireballs (vibrant meteors).
In the event you’re headed out to search out the Leonids, carry the whole lot that you must get cozy and keep cozy for awhile—you possibly can be rewarded in your effort.
