Leonids on November 18

pagen writes: "Better meteor shower than most living folks have ever seen! "The perfect viewing time is estimated to be between 4 and 6 a.m. EST, on Nov. 18.""

Comments

Leonids in Europe.

[eibhear]

By all accounts, the Leonids will be less than their normal spectacle this year in Europe. Maximum frequency expected to be about 500 per hour.

Éibhear.

Maybe a storm this year?

[wnknisely]

I know that every year for the last couple of years, there's been people predicting that this will be the year that Leonids develop storm like rates... and I've taken my Astro. classes out and we've frozen our collective butts off waiting.

But...

Here's a site (http://www.aero.org/leonid/encounterData.html) that is predicting a ZHR (zenith hourly rate) of meteors during the height of the shower on the order of 1000-3000. Works out to one a second or so - which while not totally amazing - would be a much higher rate than I've ever seen.

They've got two models and both seem to be in relative agreement. It all depends on how the Earth is oriented and moving through the comet trail and the exact geometry of the dust distribution in the trail. But what the heck - I've hung out before, maybe this will be my year to get lucky!

The page to answer all questions

[Man of E]

The Armagh Observatory has perhaps the best page about the Leonids that I've found online. It includes information about predictions, rates, storm likelihood, America vs Asia, danger to spacecraft, viewing and photography tips. Try it.