Categorized | Sci-Tech

Leonid Meteor Shower (Nov. 16-17)

MEDIA RELEASE

The Leonid Meteor Shower will peak the nights of Nov. 16-17. Stay up late Nov. 17 into the morning of Nov. 18.

The Leonids have an intense peak every 33 years and were responsible for the greatest meteor shower over Hawaii in recent times, the 2001 shower.

The Leonids have not been anywhere near as spectacular since 2001, but you can still hope for up to ten meteors per hour.

This year there will be no interference from the waxing crescent moon, which sets long before the prime shower viewing time.

As always, meteor showers are better after midnight. While meteors can appear anywhere, the Leonids are so-named because the streaks of light seem to radiate from Leo the Lion, a constellation which rises in the east around 12:45 a.m. in mid-November.

Meteor showers are the ultimate “do it yourself’ astronomy event; all you need is a need a dark location, away from city lights, with a good view of the eastern sky.

Telescopes and binoculars are neither needed nor helpful; just make sure you are comfortable. A lawn chair is always good.

— Find out more:
www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium/skyWatch/2012/November.html

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