Bring a lounge chair, sleeping bag and a cup of hot cocoa because the Leonids meteor shower, one of the most famous and unpredictable celestial phenomena, will peak early on November 17, 2025. Between midnight and dawn, skywatchers may notice 10 to 15 meteors per hour streaking across the sky.
But this shower is not just a pretty sight. It's also a space time capsule with a dramatic story.
Read more: Taurid meteor showers in 2032 and 2036 could bring larger debris from Halloween fireballs to Earth
Where do the Leonid meteor showers come from?
Leonids are born from Periodic Comet Tempel-Tuttle, orbiting the Sun every 33 years. Every time a comet approaches our star, it throws off pieces of icy debris. As Earth passes through this dust trail, these tiny fragments burn up in our atmosphere and create bright flashes that we call meteors.
As EarthSky clarifies, the shower's name comes from its apparent point of origin, or “radiant,” in the constellation Leo. A common misconception is that in order to enjoy a meteor shower, you need to find a radiant in the sky. In reality, meteor the shower will appear across the entire sky and will appear brighter the further away from the light source you look.
The Leonids are also some of the fastest meteors, traveling at speeds of up to 44 miles per second. They are often bright, colorful and sometimes deliver dazzling fireballs or Earth-skimming meteors that skim through the atmosphere and leave long glowing trails near the horizon.
How to see the Leonids
To get the best view, go somewhere dark, away from city lights. The ideal viewing window begins after midnight, when the radiant rises higher in the sky. NASA suggests the best viewing position is to lie on your back with your feet pointing east. Also, try to be patient! Give your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness as you will begin to see more meteors as your night vision turns on.
If the moon is up, try to protect yourself from its bright light by positioning yourself near a house, tree or car.
Why are Leonids so special?
The Leonids are legendary for a reason. Leonid 1833 meteor The storm is considered the first major meteor event of modern times, striking observers with hundreds of thousands of meteors per hour.
Then came 1966, when Leonid meteors fell so often they looked like fiery raindrops, a once-in-a-lifetime sight as thousands of meteors per minute blazed across the predawn sky.
Although 2025 will not bring such a storm, the legacy of the Leonids continues to inspire astronomers and casual sky watchers alike.
Read more: An asteroid has just passed over Antarctica, becoming the second largest flyby ever recorded.
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