Leonid meteor shower 2024: A visual guide to where and when to view

Skywatchers, get ready to witness some celestial activity as the Leonids and Northern Taurids meteor showers peak in mid-November.

The Leonids meteor shower has been active all month. It will be at its strongest on the evening of Nov. 16–17, according to the American Meteor Society. The annual event takes place when the Earth travels through Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle's debris field. Every year, the Earth travels through the debris track, and the fragments strike the Earth's atmosphere. That produces streaks of color and fire in the night sky.

Along with the Leonids, the Northern Taurids will peak on Nov. 12 and can be best viewed when the constellation Taurus is above the horizon. But this year's view of the showers may be obstructed by a bright beaver's supermoon on Nov. 15.

Origin of the Leonid meteor shower

The Leonid meteor shower is caused by space debris from Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, which collides with Earth's atmosphere. Two independent discoveries of the comet were made by Ernst Tempel in 1865 and Horace Tuttle in 1866, according to NASA.

How to view the Leonid meteor shower

Although the meteors will be visible throughout the sky in the Northern Hemisphere, the Leonids will appear to be radiating from the constellation Leo the Lion, the shower's namesake.

The Leonid shower is among the most spectacular. According to EarthSky, there have been years when there has been a meteor "storm," with rates for the 1833 Leonid shower hitting an incredible 100,000 meteors per hour.

The Leonids will be best visible if the skies are clear. The moon will be illuminated at 99% this year at the time of the shower, says MoonPhases.org, which may impair the view.

The Earth's protective layers

The Earth is shielded by the thin layers of the atmosphere. Small meteors that strike the atmosphere vaporize and burn up, leaving behind a trail of debris as they fall toward Earth.

When are the next meteors showers in 2024?

After the Leonids, there are two meteor showers left in the year.

• The Geminids: Considered one of the strongest and most consistent meteor showers, peak Geminids could feature as many as 120 meteor trails per hour whizzing across the night sky, according NASA. The best time to view will be in the early hours of Dec. 13–14.
• The Ursids: The Ursids are considered a "low-key" shower; viewers can see as many as five to 10 meteors an hour in a dark sky during the peak. The best time to see the shower will be before dawn on Dec. 22–23, according to Earth Sky, . 

Contributing: Doyle Rice, Eric Lagatta and Jordan Mendoza

SOURCE NASA, American Meteor Society, EarthSky.org and Space.com