Leonid meteor shower to light up the night sky next week with 15 shooting stars every hour

The Leonid meteor shower is set to put on an out-of-this-world show next week, with a meteor crossing the sky every five minutes during its peak.

The event peaks overnight from November 16 to November 17 and is known to carry some of the most intense meteor storms – some events have seen 50,000 meteors per hour.

Although the shower is annual, this year’s will be more visible than the previous one due to the only five percent illuminated crescent moon.

NASA says the best time for sky watchers to feast their eyes on the cosmic spectacle is around 3 a.m. ET in both the northern and southern hemispheres.

The Leonid meteor shower is set to put on an out-of-this-world show next week, with a meteor crossing the sky every five minutes during its peak. In the photo, the event appearing in Joshua Tree National Park in 1998

“Leonids, which peak during the middle of November each year, are considered a big rain even though meteor rates are often as low as about 15 meteors per hour, NASA shared in a statement.

“Leonids are bright meteors and can also be colored.”

Meteors travel at speeds of approximately 44 miles per second and are considered “among the fastest” in space.

The event occurs every November due to the intersection of Earth’s orbit and comet Tempel-Tuttle, Space.com reports.

The event peaks overnight from November 16 to November 17 and is known to carry some of the most intense meteor storms – some events saw 50,000 meteors per hour (pictured is the shower in 1998)

As our planet crosses the comet’s orbit, it passes through the trails of debris that allow the meteors to collide with our atmosphere.

The first recorded Leonids were sighted in 1833, which led to the discovery of the comet Tempel-Tuttle in 1865, which proved that meteors in annual showers come from comets.

NASA says the best way to see the show is to find an area well away from the street lamps, dress well, and lie down with your feet facing east.

Although the shower is annual, this year’s will be more visible than the previous one due to the only five percent illuminated crescent moon. NASA says the best time for sky watchers to feast their eyes on the cosmic spectacle is around 3 a.m. ET in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Pictured is the shower in 2001 on Tuscan, Arizona

“Orient yourself with your feet to the east, lie on your back and look up, observing as much of the sky as possible,” shared the US space agency.

‘In less than 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adjust and you will start seeing meteors. Be patient – the show will run until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.

The Leonid meteor shower is named after its radiant, the point where the meteors appear to emerge in the constellation Leo.

Every 33 years, the Leonid meteor shower comes like a meteor storm, with more than 1,000 shooting stars per hour.

In 2034, researchers predict that observers will be able to witness 2,000 meteors per hour in a “Leonid storm”.