Leonids
The Leonid meteor shower is visible every year between November 6 and 30. Their activity rate is usually modest, between 10 and 20 meteors per hour, but every 33 years, coinciding with the passage of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle through the perihelion of its orbit, the Leonids give rise to spectacular meteor storms reaching a frequency of thousands of meteors per hour.
Some of these meteor showers reached significant proportions, such as the one on the night of November 13, 1833 on the west coast of the United States.
What to expect in 2024?
In 2024 the maximum of this shower will take place two days after the full moon, and its observation will be unfavorable.
The maximum activity will occur on November 17 around 4 a.m. universal time, although there may be a weaker secondary peak the night of November 19 to 20 between the midnight and 1 a.m.
The 'radiant' of the Leonids.
Why do they happen?
The Leonid meteors are fragments of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1865, and which has an orbital period of 33.2 years. As every year at this time, the Earth passes through a ring populated with the fragments detached from comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle in previous passages near the Sun. When one of these fragments (or meteoroids) comes into contact with the Earth's atmosphere, it is burnt by friction with the air, creating the luminous glow that we call a meteor or shooting star.
All meteors in a shower seem to have a single point of origin. This point is called "radiant", and its location is used to name the meteor shower. The Leonids have their radiant in the constellation of Leo.
How to see the Leonids?
They can be observed from any location as long as it provides a dark sky. It is preferable to observe from a place that has few obstacles that limit our sight (such as buildings, trees or mountains), and not to use optical instruments that reduce our field of vision. Even though the Leonids seem to come from the constellation of Leo (hence their name), they can be seen anywhere in the sky. It is advisable to look at the darkest areas, in the opposite direction to the position of the Moon if the observation is made before it sets. The most comfortable strategy is to lie down and wait for your eyes to get used to the darkness.