The Leonid meteor shower peaks on 17 November. Find out how to see it in our beginner’s guide.
The Leonid meteor shower occurs between 6–30 November, with the best time to see it in 2023 being peak activity, which occurs this weekend on the night of 17/18 November.
Leonid meteors are swift, entering the atmosphere at 77km/s.
The radiant – the point in the sky from which the meteors appear to emanate – is in the curved portion of the Sickle asterism in the Leo constellation, the pattern that is meant to represent the Lion’s head.
The Leonids are associated with comet 55P/Tempel–Tuttle and at their peak are expected to produce a Zenthal Hourly Rate (ZHR) of 15 meteors per hour.
This is under ideal conditions though, so expect to see less.
Find out when the next meteor shower is visible or discover what causes meteor showers
Leonid meteor shower moon phase
The significant factors affecting the visibility of a meteor display are light pollution, weather, the Moon and radiant altitude.
On the evening of 17 November, the Moon appears as a 21%-lit waxing crescent.
Low above the southern horizon at sunset, this early-phase crescent sets around 19:00 UT, leaving the rest of the night good and dark for observing Leonid meteors.
Observing Leonid meteors – key facts
The Leonid radiant is located within the head of Leo, depicted by the Sickle asterism.
The radiant itself rises around 22:20 UT, attaining a peak altitude of nearly 60° around 05:40 UT.
After this time, astronomical dawn will be in force with the sky slowly brightening to bring the observing window to a close.
The best time to watch for Leonid meteors in 2023 will be after the radiant has gained some height, say from midnight on 17 November through to dawn on the 18 November.
How many Leonid meteors will we see?
The Leonid meteor shower is a popular meteor shower, despite its relatively low peak Zenithal Hourly Rate (ZHR) of 15 meteors per hour.
This value is for optimal viewing conditions with the shower radiant directly overhead.
The shower’s popularity is in part due to a periodic increase in its ZHR every 33 years.
At such times the Leonids may produce a storm-level display of 1,000–100,000 meteors per hour.
The next interesting period begins around 2032–2033, so we are in between ‘storms’ at present.
How to see a Leonid meteor – top tips
Leonid meteors are best observed after midnight.
And even when the Moon isn’t playing ball, meteor showers make for a great excuse to get out and get looking up at the night sky.
For more on this, read our guide on what to see in the night sky in autumn.
To see a Leonid meteor:
- Observe from midnight on 17 November to dawn on 18 November
- Find a place away from the light pollution of towns and cities
- Observe in groups to increase your chances
- Bring a reclining chair to prevent neck ache from looking up
- Wrap up warm
- Locate the radiant in the night sky (use a star chart or smartphone astronomy app)
- You don’t need a telescope or binoculars: naked-eye observing is best
- Give your eyes about 30 minutes to dark-adapt and you’ll see more
- Look two thirds up in the sky
- If you see a meteor and can trace it back to Leo, chances are you’ve seen a Leonid
It is winter after all, and meteor observing involves a lot of standing still in open spaces.
This guide originally appeared in the November 2023 issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine.