Leonids 2017 Meteor Shower Peak Weekend In Massachusetts

The Leonids meteor shower, which peaks Nov. 17-18, has produced some of the greatest meteor storms in history and is capable of producing thousands of meteors during a 15-minute span, as happened on Nov. 17, 1966. This year, there is no moon to intrude on the Leonids meteor shower, which NASA calls "the greatest meteor show of all time."

As with most meteor showers, the best time to view them is after midnight through the pre-dawn hours. While the Leonids produce storms some years, this isn't expected to be one of them, say the experts at earthsky.org. To earn "storm" status you need more than 1,000 meteors an hour, and astronomers predict only 10 to 15 meteors per hour this year. Still, seeing even one bright meteor can make your night.

The Leonids' parent comet – Tempel-Tuttle – takes 33 years to make a full orbit around the sun, releasing fresh material along the way. The Leonid meteor storm of 1833 was said to have generate more than 100,000 meteors an hour.

"Some who witnessed the 1966 Leonid meteor storm said they felt as if they needed to grip the ground, so strong was the impression of Earth plowing along through space, fording the meteoroid stream," earthsky.org says. "In most years, though, the constellation of Leo the Lion whimpers rather than roars, producing about 10 to 15 meteors an hour, especially just before dawn this year. Unfortunately, the bright light of a waning gibbous moon will offer some competition."

But there's some good news about this mid-November celestial event. Meteors will continue to graze the sky until Nov. 21, and the waning moon will be at its third quarter, which means only half of the moon's face will interfere with meteor watching, according to space.com.

Meteors will be visible to the unaided eye, so you won't need any special equipment to see them. "Go outside, find a dark sky, lie flat on your back and look straight up," NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke told Space.com, "and be prepared to spend a couple of hours outside."

In Maryland, Friday night is the time to look for fireballs, with the National Weather Service predicting partly cloudy skies. Saturday night will be a washout, with an 80 percent chance of rain.

Where Should I Look?

The Leonids, which are associated with the comet Tempel-Tuttle, get their name from the constellation Leo and seem to radiate from that part of the sky, but it's not necessary to look in any particular direction to see them.

See Also: Patch 2017 Guide To Meteor Showers, Other Celestial Events

Leonids meteor shower: This shower, which runs annually from Nov. 6-30, is both average and unique. It's average in that it will only produce about 15 meteors an hour at its peak on the night of Nov. 17 and morning of Nov. 18, but every 33 years, it has a cyclonic peak that results in hundreds of meteors an hour. The last time this happened was in 2001, so it will be 2034 before that happens again. Produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle, discovered in 1865, the meteors radiate from the constellation Leo, but just look up and you should see some. With a new moon, skies should be dark enough for a good show. The best viewing time is after midnight.

Geminids meteor shower: You've been waiting for this one, too, and it will outshine the Perseids. Running annually from Dec. 7-17, it peaks the night of Dec. 13 and morning of Dec. 14, when it could produce up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour. It's left behind by debris dust from an the 3200 Phaethon asteroid, discovered in 1982. A waning crescent moon won't give much competition, and you should be in for an excellent show. The best viewing time is after midnight. The shooting stars radiate from the constellation Gemini but can appear anywhere in the sky.

Ursids meteor shower: Produced by dust grains left behind by the comet Tuttle, first discovered in 1790, this shower runs annually from Dec. 17-25 and will peak in 2017 on the night of Dec. 21 and morning of Dec. 10. It's a minor shower, producing only about five to 10 shooting stars an hour. The crescent moon will set early in the evening, leaving dark skies. The best viewing time is just after midnight. Meteors radiating from the constellation Ursa Minor are visible anywhere in the sky.

This story was written by Patch Editor Deb Belt with reporting by Patch National Editor Beth Dalbey.

Photo of meteor shower by Juskteez Vu on Unsplash