Brace yourselves for an ultimate cosmic light show! You’ll be surprised to know that this month isn’t all about Diwali fireworks, as a cosmic spectacle graces the November sky. The Leonid Meteor Shower is set to peak this month and you might get a chance to witness it near Mumbai!
The Leonids meteor shower occurs annually and is one of the most famous meteor showers of the year. It has a tendency to produce the brightest and fastest meteors. It is also popularly known for its occasional “meteor storms”. Let’s deep dive and understand the Leonids meteor shower in detail.
WHAT IS LEONID METEOR SHOWER?
The Leonid meteor shower caused by comet Tempel-Tuttle, is widely known for producing fireballs, which are very bright meteors that leave behind long, luminous trails. Conventionally, we know that the meteors in annual showers get their names from the point in the night sky from which they appear to radiate.
Accordingly, this meteor shower’s name is derived from the constellation Leo, as these meteors radiate outward from the location of stars representing the Lion’s Mane. These meteors travel approximately at a speed of up to 70 km/s, making them one of the fastest meteors of the year.
ORIGIN OF LEONIDS METEOR SHOWER – COMET TEMPEL-TUTTLE:
The Leonids meteor shower originates from the debris of the Comet Tempel-Tuttle. Comet Tempel–Tuttle also known as 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, is a retrograde periodic comet, which completes an orbit around the sun every 33 years. It was independently discovered by German astronomer Wilhelm Tempel on December 19, 1865, and by American astronomer Horace Tuttle on January 6, 1866. Whenever Comet Tempel-Tuttle passes close to the Sun every 33 years, it leaves dust and debris behind forming an orbit-like trail. These structures are formed because of giant planets, like Jupiter, and radiation pressure from the Sun which disturbs the orbit of the dust and debris particles. And when the Earth passes through these trails, it results in a meteor shower.
Although old trails are not as dense as compared to young trails, they produce fewer meteors per minute. Young trails, being much denser, produce meteor storms which occur whenever the Comet passes by every 33 years! This occurs mainly since dust and debris from the comet increase and have not had much time to spread out. Such meteor outbursts are rare, however, they hold quite a tendency to produce hundreds or even thousands of meteors per hour.
WHEN AND HOW TO SEE LEONIDS METEOR SHOWER?
This year the Leonids meteor shower will be active between November 3 to December 2. And it is predicted to be at its peak, on the night of November 18, being visible from all over India. This spectacular shower is expected to produce around 10-15 meteors per hour.
To observe the longest and brightest meteors, look towards the radiant of the constellation Leo, near the star Algieba. The meteors will seem to originate from the said direction and streak the night! Get yourself a place under a dark sky, with less amount of light pollution, and you will see the meteors rise around midnight with the Leo constellation!
This year the peak of the meteor shower is predicted to be on a weekend, offering stargazers the best opportunity to explore the luminous night sky stress-free. So don’t miss out on getting an ethereal experience! Here is a list of a few places to look forward to, for experiencing a pleasant stargazing experience in India:
- Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh.
- Rann of Kutch, Gujarat.
- Nubra Valley, Leh Ladakh.
- Coorg, Karnataka.
Certainly, there is an exciting opportunity for space enthusiasts in Maharashtra as well. Join us if you want to experience a breathtaking Leonids Meteor Shower – Starparty at Dehene on 18th November during the peak time of the meteor shower. It’s your perfect chance to escape from the busy city life and pamper yourself with starry skies and fascinating astronomical stories. Far from the concrete jungles and amidst the beautiful Sahyadri mountains, the star party awaits you.