Leonid Meteor Shower
One of the year's most impressive meteor showers is at its best the next few nights. There's almost no moonlight to spoil the show, so it's worth a look.
This is known as the Leonid shower, because its meteors appear to "rain" into the sky from the direction of Leo, the lion, which rises after midnight. The meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, though, so you don't have to look at Leo to see them.
The meteor shower occurs at this time every year, when Earth passes through the orbital path of Comet Tempel-Tuttle. The comet sheds particles of rock and dirt as it orbits the Sun. Over time, these bits of debris spread out along the comet's path.
When Earth comes along, it sweeps up many of the bits of comet dust. They plunge into the atmosphere at tens of thousands of miles an hour. They vaporize as incandescent streaks across the sky -- meteors.
The Leonids should reach a nice peak tonight and tomorrow night, with perhaps a few dozen meteors visible through the late-night hours.
But there could be a second peak the next night.
That's because the bits of comet dust tend to congregate in long clumps. If Earth passes through one of the clumps, the shower's more intense. Some estimates say we'll pass through a clump in the wee hours of Sunday morning, so tomorrow night could produce an even better show.
Either night, just find a safe, dark viewing site, bundle up against the autumn chill, and keep an eye out for the Leonid meteors.
Script by Damond Benningfield, Copyright 2006
For more skywatching tips, astronomy news, and much more, read StarDate magazine.
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