1833 Leonid Meteor Shower

1833 Leonid meteor shower over Niagara Falls

Head for the hills and look to the skies tonight and for the next few evening to watch the Leonid Meteor Shower.

Named for their association with the constellation of Leo, the Leonids are visible every year at this time, with some years being more spectacular than most. In 1833, for example, the night sky was lit by a storm of meteors - as many as 200,000 an hour - and was widely regarded as a portent of doom.

While no one expects this year’s to be as impressive, it should still be a good show. The new moon should help with overall visibility and brightness, but if you can, head for in an area away from urban light pollution. The best time to watch is between midnight and pre-dawn. It should be producing its peak performance between tonight and the evening of the 18th with probably about 20-30 meteors and hour, but possibly as many as 500.

Find out more:

Article on the 1833 Leonid shower

Wikipedia on the Leonids