The Leonid Meteor Shower Peaks Soon. Here’s How To See It.

If you need a reason to stay up too late, this is it. The Leonid meteor shower will peak before dawn on November 17, and astronomers say it could be one of the clearest and brightest in years.

The Leonids streak across the sky every November as Earth plows through debris left by Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, which swings by the sun every 33 years. Each speck of comet dust burns up as it hits the atmosphere at roughly 44 miles per second, producing quick, brilliant flashes of light that seem to fall from the constellation Leo.

According to the American Meteor Society, this year’s show is set against near-perfect conditions. The moon will be a waning crescent, only about nine percent illuminated, and it won’t rise until just before sunrise. That leaves the sky dark and clear for most of the night—perfect for spotting the faint streaks that usually get washed out by moonlight. “The best time to watch will be between midnight and dawn, when Leo climbs higher in the eastern sky,” the AMS notes.

How to See the Leonid Meteor Shower

On a good night, skywatchers can expect up to 15 meteors an hour, possibly more in rural areas away from light pollution. The Leonids are famous for their speed and occasional fireballs that leave glowing trails for several seconds. In rare years, they’ve produced storms so intense they looked like cosmic rainfall. The 1966 Leonid event remains legendary, with over a thousand meteors per hour lighting up the sky.

This year won’t reach that level, but conditions still make it worth losing a little sleep. To see them, head outside around 2 a.m., find an open space with a wide view, and give your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust to the dark. No telescope needed—the show is visible to the naked eye in both hemispheres.

The Leonids mark one of the last major meteor displays before the Geminids arrive in mid-December, which can produce up to 140 shooting stars per hour. Until then, the Leonids promise a solid celestial encore for anyone who looks up.

Even after centuries of study, the same dust trails that once terrified early astronomers still pull people out of warm beds to stare at the sky. Some things never lose their magic.