Peak of the Leonid Meteor Shower This Week!
With not just one, but three meteor showers planned for the month of November, it's a gift that keeps on giving for astronomers! The vibrant Leonids will appear after the amazing display that the Taurids gave earlier this month.
They began on November 3 of each year and are anticipated to last until December 2. The optimum time to watch the Leonid meteor showers is between November 17 and 18, but before that, read on for more information.
The Leonid meteor showers: what are they?
The Leonids appear to come from the direction of the Northern Hemisphere constellation Leo when viewed from our planet.
They are one of the most well-known meteor showers in the world and one of the fastest with an average velocity of 71 km/s. They are caused by the debris that is left behind when the Tempel-Tuttle comet interacts with the Earth's atmosphere.
Each year the shower appears, it produces between 100 and 200 meteors. In actuality, the Earth's atmosphere burns hundreds of tonnes of debris per year.
Leonid meteors are known as "Earth-grazers" because they approach our horizon so closely.
How will this year's Leonids look?
This frequency, which peaked at 10 to 15 Leonid meteors per hour, is little compared to the 1,000–100,000 meteors per hour "Lenoid storms" that occur once every 33 years and light up the sky. Numerous sites reported seeing thousands of meteors during the last storm of this type in 1999.
The Leonids will nonetheless put on a respectable performance even though we won't be seeing a storm by any means.
Most fainter specks may be obscured during this time by the intervening second-quarter moon, which is predicted to be 33% lighted on the date of Leonid's peak, but it shouldn't significantly impede viewing opportunities.
Do the Leonids have colour?
They are distinguished by their long, vibrant tails that are lit up by fireballs. Large cometary debris produces fireballs, which can last longer than the typical meteor streak.
When and where will India be able to see them?
The Leonids will be visible from many locations in India because they appear in the Northern Hemisphere.
Make sure you glance around and shift your focus to surrounding constellations because meteors farther from the radiant tend to have longer trains (glowing trails of debris) and are easier to notice, even though they will be coming from the Leo constellation at latitudes between 90 and minus 65 degrees.
A midnight meteor hunt would be excellent because it's better to see them at night when the sky is dark.
How can I see the Leonids the best?
Find the darkest place you can to sit back and relax for the finest viewing experience, according to experts.
There is no need to bring a telescope for binoculars since they are already visible to the unaided eye. Enjoy the celestial display after giving your eyes around 30 minutes to acclimate to the darkness.
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SOURCES :- https://weather.com/en-IN/india/space/news/2022-11-17-leonid-meteor-shower-to-peak-this-week
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