Starting tonight, the Leonid Meteors will be falling across the night sky, with as many as twenty meteors per hour during the peak time (tonight through early morning Saturday). Also, it is predicted that there will be more visible meteors Saturday night, from about 10:40 pm until 12:30 am.
Since the new moon is approaching, the sky will be its darkest, except in Houston where the sky is lit up by various means all night long. For these sightings, it is best to travel a few miles outside the city limits.
The Leonids follow in the dust of its "parent" comet, the 55P/Tempel-Tuttel and while they have been observed for over 1,000 years, November 12, 1833 is the anniversary of the discovery by astronomers.
More information:
- Armagh Observatory's Leonid page
- Science at NASA Return of the Leonid page
- Kronk's Leonid History
- Meteor Showers Online - Leonids
Image: © Armagh Observatory
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