Astronomy

Spot some Leonid meteors: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher

November 13, 2023

The Leonid meteors are one of many 12 months’s greatest meteor showers — and in addition some of the variable.

Leonid meteors streak throughout a star-trail-filled sky over Sapello, New Mexico.
Credit score: John Chumack

Top-of-the-line meteor showers of the 12 months is upon us — the Leonids. Named as a result of they appear to radiate from a degree within the constellation Leo, they are going to peak on Friday night time and early Saturday morning, Nov. 17/18.

One of the best time to view them will likely be between midnight and 4 A.M., when the Earth is rotating into the stream of dust that produces the Leonids.

That river of particles is replenished by Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, a comet that swings by means of the interior solar system each 33 years, leaving a path of dust in its wake. In comparison with most our bodies within the solar system, Tempel-Tuttle orbits backwards. This makes these meteors significantly fast, because the dust particles affect Earth at speeds of round 160,000 mph (258,000 km/h).

From a dark-sky web site, there ought to be a minimum of 10 good meteors per hour, however the Leonids are extremely variable and generally produce a blinding meteor storm. All of it relies on how dense the dust stream occurs to be the place Earth passes by means of it.

You gained’t want a telescope to see the Leonids — all you must do is search for. Nonetheless, you may wish to deliver a pair of binoculars to examine any glowing “trains” left behind by any fireballs.