The annual Leonid shower peaked early Friday and Saturday mornings, November 17-18. This Special Report serves as an archive to all of our coverage -- from what was expected to what occurred.

18 November 2000 results
Activity began to increase November 17 at 10:00 p.m. UT, according to the International Meteor Organization (IMO). Starting around 1:30 a.m. UT on the 18th, a rate of 200 meteors per hour was observed. This rose to a peak of about 300 per hour around 3:45 a.m. UT.

Individual reports indicate during a second peak, for which the Eastern United States was the prime viewing location, the hourly rate jumped to 120 to 180, and higher in brief stretches.

Short bursts produced reports of an hourly rate as high 450.

"Despite the intense moonlight the Leonids put on an excellent display for observers in Europe and Eastern North America," said Robert Lunsford, visual program coordinator of the American Meteor Society. "Although skies were mostly cloudy on Friday morning some observers in eastern North America saw rates at 30 to 40 an hour."

Saturday morning, rates were as high as 2-3 per minute in Europe and eastern North America, Lunsford told SPACE.com.

"Many commented on seeing quick bursts of 5-6 Leonids within a matter of seconds," he said.

This reporter witnessed 6 meteors between 2:50 and 3:00 a.m. EST (7:50-8:00 UT) Saturday. All but one were very bright. Two of these left nice vapor trails that were visible for a second or so after the meteor was done. All this in the bright lights of Philadelphia, and with about a third of the sky obscured by trees.

17 November 2000 results
Preliminary analysis indicates that rates in Europe reached 45 visible meteors per hour at 4:00 a.m. UT (Universal Time) Friday morning, November 17, according to the International Meteor Organization. Rates as high as 100 per hour were reported on the Canary Islands.

On the U.S. East Coast, observers also told of around 100 meteors per hour between 1:45 and 3:30 a.m. EST on the 17th, with a possible peak rate of 150. The organization cautioned that only a handful of reports contributed to these estimates, and more analysis would need to be done to confirm the numbers.

What about next year?
Scientists were eager to learn if this year's forecast was accurate. The answer seem clear. And, along with an accurate 1999 forecast, confidence is now boosted that the forecast for next year will be on target as well. And for 2001, the forecast calls for a Leonid storm, unlike anything seen in recent years.

"After seeing these results it seems certain that the America's and the Far East will be treated to a grand display without interfering moonlight in 2001," Lunsford told SPACE.com.