Up to 15 shooting stars per hour: the Leonids meteor shower will soon be visible over the United States

According to experts, the peak of the Leonids meteor shower will occur on Wednesday night, November 17, and until dawn on Thursday, November 18, while about 15 shooting stars can be seen every hour. How can you observe this incredible sight, said the publication Daily Mail.

Photo: Shutterstock

The motor flow of Leonids takes place in November every year. It is created when small rocks fall to Earth after being lifted off from Comet Tempel-Tuttle.

According to NASA, the Leonids are considered one of the fastest meteors in existence. They travel at 44 miles (71 km) per second.

If you trace the path along which the Leonids go, it seems that they come from a point in the constellation Leo.

For the best view of the peak of the stream, find a location with clear skies and away from large light sources such as cities.

On the subject: One chance in 100 billion: a meteorite broke through the roof of a house and fell right on the bed next to a woman

Нет никаких преимуществ в использовании бинокля или телескопа — наблюдателям просто нужно смотреть вверх без посторонней помощи. Стоит выбрать точку, где небо наиболее обозреваемо.

And immediately after the peak of the meteor shower, on November 19, it will be possible observe the longest lunar eclipse in the last 100 years.

Meteors, known as shooting stars, are formed from the remnants of cometary particles and pieces of shattered asteroids.

When comets orbiting the Sun emit dust, it gradually spreads along their orbits, forming a dusty trail. Each year, the Earth passes through debris trails and a dusty trail, allowing parts of them to collide with our atmosphere, where they disintegrate and form fiery colorful streaks in the sky.

The pieces of space debris that interact with our atmosphere to create Leonids come from Comet Tempel-Tuttle, which takes 33 years to circle the Sun once.

It is a small comet, its core is only about 3,6 km in size, which is comparable to the size of Manhattan Island.

Shards of its debris burn and vaporize before hitting the Earth's surface, causing a streak of hot air that we see as a shooting star.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

The beautiful streaks seen in the night sky may actually be caused by cosmic particles the size of a grain of sand.

Радиант (точка, откуда кажется, что исходят метеоры) находится в голове или «серпе» созвездия Льва — отсюда и название потока.

«Метеорный поток Леониды назван в честь созвездия Льва, — сказала астроном из Королевской обсерватории в Гринвиче Анна Гаммон-Росс. — Это потому, что хотя метеоры и появляются по всему небу, нпм кажется, что все они появляются из одной точки, которая находится внутри этого созвездия».

If you miss the peak period, the flow will continue at a reduced rate for several days, so you have a lot of chances to see the sight.

Approximately every 33 years, earthlings can see the "storm" of the Leonids, the peak of which can reach hundreds and thousands of meteors per hour, depending on the location of the observer.

В NASA сообщают: «В 1966 году зрители пережили впечатляющий «шторм» Леониды — тысячи метеоров в минуту падали через атмосферу Земли в течение 15 минут. Было видно так много метеоров, что они, казалось, падали, как дождь. Последний метеоритный «шторм» Леониды произошел в 2002 году».

После Леониды в 2021 году ожидаются еще два метеорных потока — Геминиды, пик которых достигнет 14-15 декабря, и Урсиды — пик 21-22 декабря.

Read also on ForumDaily:

The penguin swam 3 thousand km from Antarctica to New Zealand: this is the third case in 60 years

More than 2050 billion people will face water shortages by 5 due to climate change

'One of the longest and coldest': meteorologists predict a harsh winter in the USA

Meteorologists decide to change long-standing rules for naming hurricanes: the 2020 season is to blame

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.