The Leonids Are Coming to the UK: A Spectacular Meteor Shower Peaks Soon!

The Leonids meteor shower is one of the most anticipated astronomical events. Every year in mid-November, the Earth passes through a plume of dusty debris from the comet Tempel-Tuttle, resulting in dazzling meteors for observers on Earth. Where and how can you observe this celestial spectacle?

What Is the Leonids Meteor Shower?

Meteor streams are caused by comets orbiting the Sun. Their debris forms a so-called meteor swarm along the orbit. Traditionally, the Leonids stream is observed in November.

This meteor shower is associated with comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, which has a 33-year rotation period. The Leonid stream activity increases after the comet passes its perihelion. During the period when the Earth passes through the meteor shower, microparticles flare up in the atmosphere.

According to NASA, Leonids are among the fastest meteors, streaking across the sky at 71 kilometres per second. They can also lead to spectacular bolides that produce long, bright, and colourful streaks of meteorites.

When Can I See the Leonids?

According to the International Meteor Organisation’s calendar, the annual Leonids meteor shower will be active from 3 November to 2 December this year.

The best time to observe in the UK is from midnight to dawn on 18 November. The meteor activity is expected to peak around 5 UTC. You can also try your luck observing the Leonids on 14 November, at 16:37 GMT (11:37 am ET) or on the night of 19-20 November, between 23:53 and 00:54 GMT (19 November, 6:53-7:54 pm ET).

Researchers from the International Meteor Organisation expect the frequency of meteor showers to increase these days. Scientists predict that in 2024, the Leonids will produce 15 to 20 meteors per hour at their peak on 16-18 November.

In about ten years, the Leonids are expected to bring us a spectacular meteor storm at a rate of up to 400 meteors per hour.

Where to Look for Leonids in the UK?

Every stream has a radiant point in the sky where meteors appear to originate. This radiant point is an optical illusion. It is like standing on railway tracks and gazing into the distance to see how the tracks converge. The radiant point illusion occurs because meteors, like railway tracks, move in parallel trajectories.

The radiant of the meteor stream is in the constellation Leo – this is the point from which the Leonids originate. Suppose you trace the meteors’ trajectories backwards across the sky’s dome. In that case, you will see that they originate from the star Algiba in the constellation Leo from the vicinity of the stars representing the Lion’s Mane.

If the radiant point is already above the horizon in your city during the peak of activity, you will have a better chance of catching a glimpse of meteors. You can use the interactive meteor shower sky map to identify the radiant point in the night sky quickly. All you need to do is enter your city and the date.

Meteors often don’t become visible until they are 30 degrees or so from their radial point. In addition, meteors travelling further from the radiant will have longer tails, which are easier to spot and look better in photographs.

How Do I Observe the Leonids Meteor Shower?

Unfortunately, observing conditions are not very good this year. The full Moon these days makes it difficult to observe and makes the fainter meteors invisible. To improve visibility despite the waning Moon, use the following tips:

• It is best to observe stargazing outside of town, in an open area, away from artificial light, so that the sky is more precise and darker. 
• Give your eyes 20-30 minutes to adjust to the low light, avoiding artificial sources, including phone screens.
• You don’t need binoculars or telescopes. Instead, lie comfortably on your back and look straight up. This way, you will allow your eyes to cover as much of the sky as possible.  
• Start observing when the Moon is low above the horizon or hidden from view by a tree or building.
• If there is cloud cover, watch online broadcasts from observatories or meteor organisations such as the International Meteor Organisation.