World news – California – How to see the 2020 Leonid meteorite at its zenith

Sky watchers with big coats and a little patience can expect to see some falling stars in the sky this week, thanks to the good conditions the Leonid meteor shower.

The annual meteor shower is expected to peak overnight Monday through early Tuesday, with 10-15 meteors appearing across the sky per hour, according to NASA. The show is expected to run through the end of the month, although fewer « stars » will be visible after this week’s climax..

Viewing conditions will be especially good this week because the moon is just a small piece in the night sky, according to the International Meteorite Organization.

The Leonids family is best known for spawning spectacular meteor storms of over 1,000 hours per hour, although stargazers have not seen a highly-charged show like this since 2002.

The best way to witness this year’s event is to go out after midnight local time, provided the sky is clear of clouds. NASA recommends gathering, facing east and then lying flat on your back so you can look at the sky.

Most people take about 30 minutes for their eyes to adjust to the dark, at which point you should be in tune with the sky and the flash of meteors..

« Be patient, » NASA says. « The show will run until dawn, so you have plenty of time to peek.

The meteor shower gets its name, Leo, the constellation through which meteorites seem to pass.

Meteorites are actually bits of comet dust left behind by comet 55P / Tempel-Tuttle, which orbits the Sun in a 33-year cycle. Dust from the comet burns up in Earth’s atmosphere, creating tiny points of light that we call filming stars.

Due to the comet’s orbit, the gigantic showers are thought to occur once every 33 years. One of the most famous showers occurred in 1966, when witnesses said that the sky appeared to be « raining stars. ».

Star-watchers missed by the Leonids will get another chance to catch meteor showers next month.

The Geminid meteor showers occur every December and are said to be the strongest meteor of the year, according to the International Meteorological Organization.. Meteorites are bright and slow, and this year’s event will happen while the moon is nearly invisible, making it much easier to see other things in the sky..

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Meteor shower, Leonids, Meteoroid, Star