Leonid meteor shower peaks on Monday and Tuesday
November’s wonderful Leonid meteor shower happens every year at this time, as our world moves through space. It occurs when Earth crosses the orbital path of Comet Tempel-Tuttle, which, like all comets, litters its orbit with bits of debris. It’s when this comet debris enters Earth’s atmosphere, and vaporizes, that we see the Leonid meteor shower. In 2014, the peak nights of the shower are expected from midnight to dawn on both Monday morning (November 17) and Tuesday morning (November 18), EarthSky reports.
Although this shower is known for its periodic storms, no Leonid storm is expected this year. The waning crescent moon will enhance the show on the peak night, not dampen it. Also, it’ll be fun to look for the planet Jupiter, which is near the Leonid’s radiant point in 2014. Watch for the Leonids on the mornings of November 17 and 18. The mornings before and after the peak might feature meteors as well, as we pass through the Leonid meteor stream in space.