Meteor showers Leonids
Leonids
A storm once in thirty-three years
Quiet in most years, yet capable of a storm around its parent comet’s return.
- Active period
- 6 November to 30 November
- Usual maximum
- Around 17 November
- ZHR under ideal skies
- About 15, outburst years aside
01 / Overview
Meet Leonids
The Leonids peak around 17 November at barely a dozen meteors an hour in a normal year, yet they produced the most spectacular storms on record: in 1833 and 1966 observers reported thousands, even tens of thousands, an hour. Those outbursts track the roughly 33-year return of the parent comet, 55P/Tempel–Tuttle.
Dust filaments and storms
Every return lays down a fresh filament of dust. When Earth happens to cross a young, dense one, rates leap within an hour or two. The outbursts between 1999 and 2002 were predicted in advance — an important test that meteor astronomy passed.
The fastest meteors in the solar system
Leonids meet the atmosphere head-on at about 71 km/s, the highest speed among the major showers. That speed means brighter streaks, and trains that can linger for several seconds.
02 / Key data
Core parameters
- Active period
- 6 November to 30 November
- Usual maximum
- Around 17 November
- ZHR under ideal skies
- About 15, outburst years aside
- Parent body
- Comet 55P/Tempel–Tuttle
- Recurrence
- Mid-November, every year
Data and calculation notes
Active periods, peak dates and rates are multi-year averages; each year differs a little, so plan against the forecast issued for the year in question.
03 / Observing tips
How to watch
- The radiant rises after midnight; the shower only gets going in the small hours.
- Ordinary-year rates are low, so treat it as a long watch rather than a quick look.
- Outburst years come with dedicated forecasts worth following in advance.
04 / Sources