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FP trendNovember 17, 2020 11:18:04 IST
The Leonid meteor shower, which occurs in mid-November each year, is considered a major rain, although meteor rates are often as low as about 15 meteors per hour. Leonids travel at speeds of around 71 kilometers per second and are considered some of the fastest meteors around.
In 2020, the Leonid meteor shower is expected to peak on the morning of November 17. Rain occurs when Earth crosses the orbital path of Comet 55P / Tempel-Tuttle. When the comet’s debris enters Earth’s atmosphere and vaporizes, you get to see the Leonid meteor shower. In 2020, the crescent crescent moon will set in the early evening and with a dark sky, up to 10-15 meteors per hour can be seen at peak.
The Leonid Meteor Shower, Image: Flickr / Drew Wilson
Where to look:
City, state, and national parks are often great places to watch meteor showers. The shower is best seen after midnight.
Meteors in annual showers are named after the point in the starry sky from which they appear to radiate. Leonids are named after the constellation of Leo the Lion as the meteors radiate outward from the proximity of the stars representing the lion’s mane.
The Leonid meteors appear to emit vapor from close to the star Algieba in the constellation Leo, which is their radiant point.
According to a report in CNN, the Leonid meteor shower overlaps the Northern Taurid meteor shower and therefore some meteors from that rain may also be visible. The Northern Taurids appear as fireballs in the sky.
There will be no meteor storms this year. Meteor storms occur when over 1,000 meteors can be seen per hour. The last Leonid meteor shower occurred in 2001.
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