The Leonids are a fast meteor shower, active from early November to early December, that peaks around November 16-17. Caused by debris from Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, the meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Leo. While often producing 10-20 fast-moving meteors per hour at their peak, they are famous for occasional "meteor storms" every 33 years when the Earth passes through a dense stream of debris.
Cause: The Leonids are caused by the debris trail left behind by Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle as it orbits the sun.
Speed: They are the fastest of all meteor showers, with meteors traveling at up to 44 miles per second, creating bright fireballs.
Size: The particles are generally small, like grains of sand, but they burn up high in the atmosphere due to their immense speed.
Appearance: The meteors can be bright and colorful, often leaving behind trains (lingering trails of dust) that can persist for several minutes.
Meteor Storms: Every 33 years, the Earth passes through a denser part of the debris, causing a "meteor storm" with thousands of meteors per hour.
Moon Phase: A waning crescent moon will not interfere with viewing, as the new moon is on November 20.
2025 Viewing: The peak for the 2025 Leonids is November 16-17. While the shower is active from November 3 to December 2, the peak is the best time to watch. Try observing after midnight.
Tips for watching
Be patient: Give your eyes time to adjust to the dark. You may see more meteors as the night goes on, especially between midnight and dawn.
Clear and Dark Skies, Dave Holland
