Current Affairs

Issue

The Leonids meteor shower of this year has started. The shower will take place between November 6 and 30, peaking on November 17.

 

Background

The peak time of the shower is witnessed when the Earth passes through the densest part of the debris.

 

Details

• The meteor showers originate from a comet known as 55P/Tempel-Tuttle in the constellation Leo. This comet takes 33 years to orbit the sun.

• This meteor shower includes one of the fastest meteors, which typically travel at speeds of 71 km per second.

• The rate of meteor shower is as low as 15 meteors per hour. Leonids are also dubbed as fireballs and earthgazer meteors. 

• They are called fireballs as they have bright colours and earthgazers because they travel close to the horizon.

• The bright light is generated as a result of the friction between the meteorite and the molecules present in the Earth’s atmosphere because of which it burns.

 

Meteor storm

• The Leonid shower turns into a meteor storm every 33 years. During this time hundreds to thousands of meteors can be seen every hour. 

• To be considered as a meteor storm, a shower needs to have at least 1,000 meteors per hour. The last such storm took place in2002.

 

Visibility

• The meteor showers can be viewed on any cloudless night when the brightness of the moon is not too high.

• The location for viewing should be far from the cities and should not have light pollution. They are best viewed from secluded places.

• The showers are visible by locating the Leo constellation in the sky. They are best seen during midnight and can be witnessed till day light.