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16 November 2001
The Leonids Are Coming!
by Dennis Mammana
The Leonid meteor shower is an annual pelting of our planet by pebbles and dust from the comet known as Tempel-Tuttle.
When's the best time to see it?
The night of Saturday, November 17 and the morning of Sunday, November 18. You may see a few meteors before midnight, but many more will appear in the hours before dawn.
Where's the best place to view it?
Far from city lights-in the mountains or deserts. If you live near San Diego then Julian, Palomar Mountain, Mt. Laguna, the Anza-Borrego Desert are all nearby dark-sky sites. To park anywhere in the Cleveland National Forest, however, you'll need $5.00 Adventure Pass or risk a $100 fine. For more information on where to purchase these, visit: http://www.fsadventurepass.org
Which way should I look?
Typically meteors appear all over the sky, and this shower is no exception, but all the Leonids will appear to radiate from the eastern half of the sky.
What do I need to see them?
You need only your eyes. Dress warmly, lie back on a lawn chair or sleeping bag and watch the sky. Binoculars might help if you see a smoky trail left by a long, bright meteor.
How many meteors will I see?
In a typical year, you might see 20-30 per hour. This year, however, more than 100 per hour may occur. It is also possible that a "storm" may occur around 2:00 a.m. when, for a short period, as many as 2,500 per hour fall from the sky.
How can I photograph the shower?
All you need is a camera, a normal or slightly wide-angle lens, fast color or BW film (ISO 400-1600), a tripod and locking cable release. Aim the camera high toward the northeastern or southeastern sky, open the lens wide, focus on infinity, and take exposures of 5 minutes or more. You might be lucky and capture a meteor on film. At least you'll get star trails!
How can I learn more?
http://comets.amsmeteors.org/meteors/showers/leonids.html http://www.skypub.com/sights/meteors/meteors.shtml http://www.leonidstorm.com/ http://leonids.hq.nasa.gov/leonids/ http://www.leonid.arc.nasa.gov/
