Tag: Leonid Meteor Shower

Watch for ‘shooting stars’

 

Meteor Shower photo courtesy of NASA
Meteor Shower photo courtesy of NASA

Look up Nov. 16 about midnight.

The Leonids, the debris from Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, will be shooting across the sky at about 15 meteors per hour. They will be traveling at about 44 miles per second.

You probably can catch sight of a few of these “shooting stars” because they are bright and light from the moon won’t be a factor. The moon will be in its waxing crescent phase and sets early evening.

These meteors are called Leonids because the radiant (point in the sky where the meteors seem to come from) is in the constellation Leo.

Also, put the Geminids on the calendar for a sky watch Dec. 13-1, 2020.

For more information visit Earthsky, TimeandDate and NASA.

 

 

Leonid meteor shower peaks this weekend

Meteor Shower photo courtesy of NASA
Meteor Shower photo courtesy of NASA

 

Look up late at night or before dawn this weekend to “catch” a “falling star.”

The earth crosses the Tempel-Tuttle Comet 55P orbit during November but in 2019 the peak times to see its meteor debris is from Nov. 16 through 18.

No star gazing instruments needed, just a spot away from street and commercial lights.

However, the full moon was just a few days ago on Nov. 13 so the sky will still seem bright with the waning gibbous phase as it moves into its last quarter Nov. 18.

Also needed is patience. Although the Leonids have produced tremendous meteor showers in some years, this year a mere 10 to 15 meteors are predicted per hour.

For more good meteor information visit EarthSky, Space and Time and Date.