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Important Note: The Leonids will peak between 11 p.m. Monday and daybreak Tuesday morning. Please read detailed predictions carefully to choose prime viewing times for your location.
The Leonid meteor shower is officially underway and will reach a crescendo early Tuesday morning, putting on a display not to be repeated for generations. Meanwhile, there are at least three great excuses and 20 other reasons to get outside Saturday, Sunday or Monday morning.
The excuses are below. But first, the 20 reasons: That's how many shooting stars per hour a Northern Hemisphere observer might see before sunrise under dark skies away from city lights. This is the normal "background" rate of shooting stars this time of year.
Plus, each morning, more and more Leonids will ply the skies.
The annual Leonid event is caused by debris left behind by a comet called Tempel-Tuttle. Earth will pass through two dense streams of the comet's dust this year. The first stream should generate an outburst over Europe around 0400 UT on Tuesday, Nov. 19, experts predict. The second and more prolific burst, expected to be visible over North America, is slated to occur around 5:30 a.m. EST (2:30 PST).
Skywatchers could see six to 10 meteors every minute just before dawn, even taking into account the effects of a bright Moon. Astronomers do not expect another Leonid storm like this for nearly 100 years, possibly more.
Don't waste your time on evening observing, at least not until Monday when, late at night, a handful of "earthgrazing" Leonids might be visible low on the eastern horizon. Meanwhile, if you need an excuse to get out of bed at 4 a.m. on the weekend, here are some good ones:
Excuse #1: It might rain Tuesday morning
There, I said it. Nothing would be worse, of course, and I don't mean to jinx you.
But if cloudy weather does ruin the main event, at least you will have seen some Leonids this year and can claim, forever, to have been part of the extravaganza.
Here's something else to consider: Among the most prized Leonid sightings are fireballs. They are simply stunning, lighting up the sky even enough to make your face glow, literally as well as figuratively. Fireballs can come on any night. See one, and you might feel satisfied for life. Or until the next night, when you'll want to go out hunting for more!
Excuse #2: There are plenty of shooting stars to see now
The Leonids actually began as a trickle on Thursday, and the hourly rate will increase each morning. In addition to a background rate of about 20 random shooting stars per hour (meteors not associated with the Leonids) here's what you can expect from the Leonids, according to Robert Lunsford of the American Meteor Society:
- Saturday morning: 5 per hour
- Sunday morning: 10 per hour
- Monday morning: 20 per hour
Some Monday morning math: 20+20=40, and 40 per hour means nearly one every minute!
Excuse #3: The Moon is less of a problem this weekend
The Moon will try to foil everyone's view on Tuesday, drowning out fainter meteors and not setting until after morning twilight has already ended the show. Many brighter meteors will outshine the moonlight. But on Saturday morning the Moon sets conveniently around 3 a.m., and darker skies will afford a view of the faintest visible shooting stars.
On Sunday morning, the Moon drops out of the picture at about 4 a.m., still allowing for more than an hour of dark skies.
On Monday morning, the Moon sets just before first light. After 4 a.m., it will be very low and easily blocked by a house. This would be a good opportunity to check your observing site in advance of your Tuesday morning outing: Look for a tall building, tree or mountain to block the Moon.
Leonids are generated in the eastern sky but can be seen racing all over the place. Background meteors can come from anywhere. Seasoned meteor observers recommend looking straight up or toward the east while keeping as wide a view as possible. When the Moon is up, look the other way.
And while your out: See our Skywatcher's Guide to the Moon and check out the Morning Planet Parade.
Also, tell the world what you see by posting your observations on our Uplink message board.
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