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Observatory Programs |
See the 2002 Leonid Meteor Shower! |
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Every year between November 14 and 20, the Earth passes through the debris streams left behind by the passage of Comet Tempel-Tuttle. This debris falls through the atmosphere and becomes the Leonid Meteor Shower, so named because the meteors appear to originate from the mane of the lion of the constellation Leo. Most years, the showers are not very spectacular and only a few meteors are spotted. Every 33 to 34 years, however, the Comet Tempel-Tuttle crosses the Earth's orbit leaving behind a fresh supply of debris. In the years immediately following the passing of the comet, much greater activity is seen and in some cases meteor storms have occurred. What can we expect this year?This year, the same experts (astronomers from Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland) that correctly predicted the good and bad showers over the last several years are predicting a great show this year over Europe and the Americas despite the presence of a full moon. This year, we pass through the debris streams from the 1767 and 1866 passes of the parent comet, Tempel-Tuttle. The most recent storm was in 1966, where meteors appeared at a rate of 10,000 meteors per hour. Predictions for this year are higher than for last year (2001); however, there will be a full moon washing out the sky and dimmer meteors. Observers in the US may still be able to see around 100 meteors an hour. However, meteor counts are difficult to predict, so be prepared for anything! If you are interested in counting meteors for the International Meteor Organization, Sky & Telescope provides these instructions. When and where?The best time for observing most meteor showers is usually right after midnight. This year one of the peaks in the Leonid Shower is at about 0400 UT (11pm EST) on the night of Nov. 18-19. A second peak occurs at about 1030UT (5:30am EST) on Tuesday 19 November. The chances of seeing meteors are naturally better if you can get away from the glare of city lights. This is particularly important this year with the moon creating so much glare. If you don't have a lot of time to spend traveling out of the city, you should check (ahead of time for permission) with your local city or county parks authority. For even darker skies, you can drive an hour or two to more remote state or national parks. Other Leonids Links
Last Updated: Wednesday April 23, 2008 by Elizabeth Warner |
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