A lovely new moon creates ideal dark sky conditions for this year’s Leonids Meteor Shower. You can make the most of watching for “shooting stars”.
The Leonids Meteor Shower is generated from comet Tempel-Tuttle and is active from 6th to 30th of November. The shower, which radiates from the constellation of Leo, peaks in the early morning hours of the 18th November.
When and where to look:
The Leonids Meteor Shower is active from 6th to 30th November. The peak of about 10 meteors/hour is from 3am on 18 November. Look above the northern eastern horizon.
The peak coincides with a new moon which gives you an ideal opportunity to see the Leonids Meteor Shower this year.
What is a meteor shower?
A meteor (commonly called a “shooting star”) is an unexpected, brief streak of light seen in our night sky. It’s caused when space debris, travelling up to 75km per second, enters Earth’s atmosphere. The debris can be as small as a grain of sand which burns up in the atmosphere and causes a bright streak of light to appear briefly in our night sky.
A meteor shower is a celestial spectacle where large numbers of meteors, or “shooting stars”, streak across the night sky. These dazzling events occur when Earth passes through the the trail of debris left by a comet or other object that has come into our Solar System and orbited around the Sun. Visible to the naked eye, meteor showers offer a mesmerizing display of bright streaks, adding a touch of cosmic wonder to the night.
Where’s the best place to see the meteor shower?
The best place to see a meteor shower is away from bright city lights and when the night sky is dark with no moonlight. Bright moonlight and light pollution makes it harder to see fainter meteors, however you may still be able to see the brighter ones.
Travel out to a dark sky location at one of WA’s Astrotourism Towns. If you’re an astrophotographer, it is an excellent opportunity to image meteors over some of WA’s iconic landscapes. Where are WA’s Astrotourism Towns?
You don’t need a telescope or binoculars to see a meteor shower. It’s a great time to gather with friends, roll out your favourite picnic rug, pack the drinks and snacks, and start counting how many “shooting stars” you all see! The predicted hourly rate of meteors presumes you’re viewing them in a perfectly dark sky and that the shower is directly overhead. Fingers crossed for a spectacular show!
Something interesting
Meteor showers are named after the constellation where the “shooting stars” appear to be coming from. In the case of the Leonids Meteor Shower, the meteors come from the direction of the constellation of Leo. If you have a handy smart phone app that helps you identify objects in the night sky, search for the constellation, and you’ll be looking in the right direction. The Leonids go through a 33 year cycle of intensity, with the last of these cycles occurring on in 2001.
You might like to…
Become a citizen scientist and report meteor sightings! If you happen to see a very bright meteor (often referred to as a “fireball”), WA’s Fireballs in the Sky team based at Curtin University would love to know! Report your fireball sighting with the International Meteor Organization.
The International Meteor Organization is a great place to discover more about all things meteors. Check out their Meteor Shower Calendar. You might even like to become a member!
Where's the Best Place to see a Meteor Shower?
You need a good dark night sky for the best view! Choose an Astrotourism Town destination. Happy meteor hunting!