Leonids: Famous for Meteor Storms

  1. The Leonids peak every November, originating from Comet Tempel–Tuttle.
  2. They appear to radiate from the constellation Leo the Lion.
  3. Leonids are known for producing spectacular meteor storms.
  4. A storm can unleash thousands of meteors per hour, turning the sky into a firework show.
  5. The 1833 Leonid storm was so intense it terrified onlookers and inspired modern meteor science.
  6. Leonids are fast meteors, hitting Earth’s atmosphere at about 44 miles per second.
  7. They often leave glowing trains of ionized gas that linger for seconds.
  8. The shower repeats annually, but storms occur roughly every 33 years, tied to the comet’s orbit.
  9. The Leonids helped confirm that meteor showers are linked to comet debris.
  10. Their legendary storms make the Leonids one of the most dramatic sky spectacles in history.