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Attention fans of shooting stars! Currently one of the most beautiful meteoric currents of the year is active: the Leonids. The highlight of shooting stars can be seen in the night sky from November 6th to 30th.
Komet 55P / Temple-Tuttle
Shooting stars are named Leonids because they appear to come from the constellation Leo (Leo). The constellation rises in the east after 11pm. The Leonids can therefore also be seen in the night sky towards the northeast. The higher the lion in the night sky, the more shooting stars there are.
However, the Leonids have their origin in comet 55P / Temple-Tuttle, which orbits the sun every 33 years and leaves countless fragments, the so-called “meteorids”. If these meteors enter the earth’s atmosphere, they burn and can be perceived as shooting stars, called meteors. Leonids are particularly fast at this. They can reach speeds of up to 70 kilometers per second, which corresponds to 252,000 kilometers per hour.
Peak on November 17th
This year 10 to 20 shooting stars are expected per hour, writes the Bavarian radio. But because this meteor flow is so variable, you never know exactly how many there will eventually be.
The last time Comet 55P / Temple-Tuttle was close to the sun was in 1998. This is why the Leonids from 1994 to 2003 were particularly spectacular. Hundreds, if not thousands, of shooting stars lit up the night sky every hour. The comet will not be any closer to the sun until 2031.
According to Bayrischer Rundfunk, the Leonids will peak this year around noon on November 17. Most of the shooting stars will therefore be seen on the night of November 18.
And don’t forget: when you see a shooting star, make a wish.
(Those: giphy.com)
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