The Leonid meteor shower will peak soon. Like watching the heavenly show

Say what you want of 2020, it’s been a dazzling year in the night sky, with bright comets is abundant meteor showers which continue this month with the appearance of the annual Leonids.

The Leonids are becoming active this week and will stay with us until the end of the month. This rain can be traced back to Comet 55P / Tempel-Tuttle and has staged some royal spectacles over the centuries in the form of intense meteor storms that produce hundreds of visible meteors per hour.

The American Meteor Society says it is unlikely that we will see such a storm in our lives (the most recent was in 2001), although 2030 may see a minor storm. This year, the Leonids offer the opportunity to see around 15 meteors per hour at the peak of November 16 and 17, when the tiny fragment of the moon won’t produce much interference. Leonids tend to be quite bright with some persistent trains.

To catch the Leonids, the best strategy is to venture into the early morning hours before sunrise as close as possible to their respective shower peaks. Get away from light pollution if you can, dress appropriately and find a comfortable place to lie down with a wide and clear view of the sky.

Photos of the 2020 Perseid meteor shower shine bright in a dark year

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So, relax, let your eyes adjust and see. It is not necessary to focus on a particular area of ​​the sky, but if you can spot the constellation Leo, the Leonids will appear to be coming from that part of the sky and crawling outward like the spokes of a wheel. Also keep your eyes peeled for a bright taurid fireball, like the The northern and southern taurids are also active.

Enjoy some fire in the sky and stream any epic fireball photos you happen to catch on Twitter @EricCMack.