Community Corner

Leonid Meteor Shower: When Will it be visible?

The Leonid Meteor Showers are fast and bright and will appear to radiate from the constellation Leo the Lion in the pre-dawn hours of Nov. 17.

As you hang holiday lights and light the candles, cast your gaze upon the universe's natural fireworks, as well. 

Astronomers anticipate two more meteor showers to take place over the next month.

Nov. 17: Leonid Meteor Shower

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  • After years of heavier-than-average showers, the famous Leonids have returned and are expected to peak on Nov. 17 in the pre-dawn hours. These meteors are fast (about 40 miles per second) and can leave trails of smoke, according to Astronomy.com. They will appear to radiate from the constellation Leo the Lion. "Many Leonids are also bright. Usually, the meteors are white or bluish-white, but in recent years some observers reported yellow-pink and copper-colored ones," according to the website

Dec. 13: Geminid Meteor Shower

  • The last shooting star cluster before New Year's is the Geminid Meteor Shower, expected to peak in the pre-dawn hours after midnight between Dec. 13 and Dec. 15. They will be visible in all parts of the sky and streak through the sky at more than 50 meteors per hour, almost a meteor a minute, according to EarthSky.com. The new moon is expected to fall on Dec. 13, making for optimal dark skies—as long as you avoid city lights and clouds, the website states.  

Be sure to schedule a night this season to bundle up, lay out some blankets and enjoy the light show in the sky. 

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Don't have access to a telescope? The Lehigh Valley Amateur Astronomical Society (LVAAS) invites the public to attend any monthly public star party. Hear a Night Sky Network talk about NASA missions and space science topics. See a planetarium show and look through observatory telescopes at the moon, planets and deep sky objects (weather permitting). 

The next LVAAS party is 7 p.m. on Nov. 17 and will focus on "The Andromeda Galaxy and the Winter Triangle on the horizon." 

Share your tips for photographing the showers, and tell us your favorite places to sneak off to view the skies in the comments!


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