The Leonids 2022 meteor shower peaks this week. The best time to see the bright fireballs is in November.
The Leonids 2022 meteor shower peaks this week. The best time to see the bright fireballs is in November.
Just a week after a total lunar eclipse turned the November full moon into a rusty-reddish color, another remarkable celestial event is on its way. This time it’s 2022 Leonid meteor showerwhich is expected to peak in the coming days.
Known as one of the best meteor showers of the fall season because of their bright fireballs, the Leonids are expected to be at their best from the late night hours of Thursday, Nov. 17, to the early morning hours of Friday, Nov. 18, according to astronomy experts. And some say there could be a bigger burst of shooting stars early in the morning on Saturday, November 19.
In the average year, Leonid shower typically generates 10 to 15 meteors per hour in dark areas away from city lights. And some years this rain had massive bursts of bright fireballs numbering in the hundreds.
“While it may not live up to its historic reputation, it could turn out to be one of the best astronomical events of the year,” AccuWeather said in a preview of 2022 Leonids.
AccuWeather says two meteor experts from American Meteor Society have analyzed the time when Earth will move through different trails of space debris from a comet known as 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, and they believe our planet may see the biggest burst of shooting stars early Saturday morning.
If their analysis is correct, AccuWeather says, sky watchers “could see 50 to 200 meteors per hour” for a short period of time on Saturday. (They say the prime window for this big burst could be between 1 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. ET on Saturday.)
However, other experts are not convinced that the Leonids will put on a spectacular sky show this year. But they say it’s still worth watching late Thursday night, early Friday morning and again late Friday night early Saturday.
The EarthSky astronomy website agrees with The Leonid meteor shower sometimes goes overboard, with a huge number of shooting stars. But “most years the Lion whimpers, not roars.”
Experts say the Leonids are already visible in small numbers and will continue to be visible until December 2, but the next few days (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) will feature the largest numbers.
The Leonid meteor shower occurs every November when Earth passes through tiny pieces of space debris from a comet known as Tempel-Tuttle. Some years the rain produces a large number of bright fireballs.Shutterstock
When and where to look
The most important thing first. You can see the Leonid meteors from almost anywhere, but experts say you’ll increase your chances if you go to a park or open space in a rural location, as far away from bright city and street lights as possible.
Bring a blanket or lawn chair for comfort and pack because temperatures are well below normal in our region this week. And give your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust to the dark sky when you look up.
Thrillist.com says “the the best time to see the Leonids will be after midnight and into the morning local time” on Friday. “However, the earlier end of this window may be best, as the last quarter of the moon will rise after midnight, ‘likely obscuring your view of fainter meteors.’
AccuWeather forecasters say sky conditions need to be good in the New Jersey area for people to see the Leonid meteor shower. The rain is expected to peak late Thursday night into early Friday morning, but some experts say another major burst could occur early Saturday.AccuWeather
As for which part of the sky to look at, Thrillist recommends looking near the constellation Leo, which is the Leonids radiant — the area of the sky where the meteors appear to come from as they shoot.
“However, do not look directly at the radiant,” the website says. “The meteors will move away from this point. You’ll see more meteors by looking somewhere else in the sky.
Space.com says the Leonids are among the fastest meteors of any major stream, “slashing across the sky at 44 miles per second.” Such fast speeds “tend to produce bright and colorful meteors in shades of white, blue, aquamarine and even green that leave long-lasting streaks or trains in their wake,” the space website notes.
These are the dates and most common nicknames for all 12 full moons in 2022.Len Melisurgo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The Last Full Moon of 2022
The last of 12 full moons in 2022 will glow in the night sky on Wednesday, December 7th, officially becoming full at 11:08 PM ET.
Its most common nickname is the “cold moon” because it appears when the cold of winter begins to set in.
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Len Melisurgo can be found at [email protected].
