Time For Leonid Meteor Shower Peak In NYC: Look Up For Fireballs

NEW YORK, NY – The fast-moving Leonid meteor shower peaks this weekend, with good chances to see them in the predawn hours on Saturday, Nov. 17, and Sunday, Nov. 18. Weather conditions in New York City Saturday morning are ideal for the annual show.

The forecast calls for clear skies early Saturday, though Sunday's show could be mired by clouds.

Most experts say the best chance to see the shooting stars is around 3 a.m. because the moon will set shortly after midnight in most of the world, giving stargazers several hours of dark sky. The Leonids typically produces between 10 and 15 meteors an hour. The moon sets around 12:35 a.m. on the East Coast.

The meteors can be colorful and produce fireballs — that is brighter, larger meteors that can leave colorful trails. They zip across the sky at about 44 miles per second, making them among the fastest meteors.

In some years, the Leonid meteor shower produces outbursts with up to 1,000 meteors an hour, but this isn’t likely to be one of them, according to Earthsky.org.

The Leonids, which are associated with the comet Tempel-Tuttle, get their name from the constellation Leo the Lion and will come from the stars that make up Leo’s mane. And though they radiate from that part of the sky, it’s not necessary to locate the constellation. Weather permitting, you’ll be able to see them from any part of the sky.

But if you want to locate Leo the Lion, look at the eastern horizon. It begins its climb into the sky after midnight, and when it reaches the highest point, the most meteors will be visible.

There are a couple of meteor showers remaining before the calendar turns over to 2019.

The Geminid meteor shower, which originates from the constellation Gemini, is typically the best of the year, producing up to 120 multicolored meteors an hour at its peak on Dec. 13-14. The shower runs from Dec. 7-17, and is produced by debris left behind by the asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon, discovered in 1982. Viewing conditions should be excellent because the first quarter moon will set shortly after midnight, leaving dark skies. The peak viewing times are in the early morning hours, but the Geminids also are active before midnight.

The year’s final meteor shower is a minor one, and it’s often overlooked. The Ursids meteor shower, which runs Dec. 17-25 and peaks Dec. 21-22, produces about 5 to 10 meteors an hour, although occasional outbursts have produced 25 or more an hour. A full moon will wash out all but the brightest, however. The Ursids originate from the constellation Ursa Minor, and are produced by dust grains left behind by the comet Tuttle discovered in 1790. The best viewing times are after midnight.

(Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA viaGetty Images)