In mid-November, the fickle Leonid meteor shower hits Earth as soon as once more. This annual meteor bathe, which peaks in a single day on Nov 16-17, is answerable for a few of the most intense meteor storms in historical past. Sometimes, meteors fall at charges as excessive as 50,000 per hour.
These meteor storms solely occur not often, and astronomers aren’t anticipating a lot exercise for the 2021 Leonid meteor bathe. In truth, with the full moon arriving simply two days after the bathe’s peak, moonlight will overpower all however the brightest meteors this 12 months. The finest time to look is earlier than daybreak, round 3 a.m. EST (0800 GMT), on the morning of the height (Nov. 17).
Related: 10 Leonid meteor shower facts
When to see the Leonids
The Leonid meteor bathe peaks on the night time of Tuesday, Nov. 16, and early the next morning. Skywatchers could possibly see some meteors on days simply earlier than and after the height.
According to NASA meteor skilled Bill Cooke, with out moonlight skywatchers can count on to see round 10-15 meteors per hour throughout the annual bathe’s peak. But with the moon’s face 95% illuminated throughout this 12 months’s peak, there will not be many seen “shooting stars” in any respect.
“Don’t expect much out of the Leonids this year,” Cooke mentioned.
Where to see them
The Leonid meteor bathe will get its title from the constellation Leo, the lion, the place its meteors seem to originate. But you possibly can look in nearly any route to benefit from the present, Cooke mentioned. If you instantly face Leo, you might miss the meteors with longer tails.
Although the meteor bathe could be a bit simpler to see from the Northern Hemisphere, skywatchers within the Southern Hemisphere ought to be capable of see the present as nicely. “They’re not quite as good, but almost as good,” mentioned Cooke. “The Leonids are an OK shower from the Southern Hemisphere.”
What causes the Leonids?
The Leonid meteor bathe occurs yearly in November, when Earth’s orbit crosses the orbit of Comet Tempel-Tuttle. The comet makes its manner across the sun each 33.3 years, leaving a path of dust rubble in its wake.
When Earth’s orbit crosses this path of particles, items of the comet fall towards the planet’s floor. Drag, or air resistance, in Earth’s ambiance causes the comet’s crumbs to warmth up and ignite into burning balls of fireside known as meteors.
Related: How comets cause meteor showers
These comet crumbs are often the scale of a grain of sand or a pea, so they have an inclination to fritter away fully earlier than hanging Earth’s floor. Meteors that survive the entire journey to the bottom are known as meteorites. But the Leonid meteor bathe seemingly will not ship any meteorites.
What do you could see them?
Meteors are seen to the bare eye, so you will not want any particular gear to see them.
“Go outside, find a dark sky, lie flat on your back and look straight up,” Cooke mentioned, “and be prepared to spend a couple of hours outside.”
Given that the meteors are pretty sparse and happen throughout a chilly time of 12 months, it’s best to bundle up and chill out.
Email Hanneke Weitering at email@example.com or observe her @hannekescience. Follow us @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Additional reporting by Elizabeth Howell, Space.com contributor.