Leonid Meteor Shower 2010. Conditions are ripe tonight for a beautiful display of fireworks.
The annual Leonid meteor shower happens tonight, November 17th through the 18th. With 15 to 20 an hour, you'll be able to see a meteor streak across the sky every few minutes, though Discovery Magazine puts it at more like 20 to 30 an hour.
The best time to observe should be after midnight, when the earth is facing the incoming bits of gravel. No telescope needed, just a space far away from light pollution where you have a wide view of the sky, and maybe a lawn chair to keep you from getting a crick in your neck.
Unfortunately, the gibbous moon will be bright this year. If you're really intent on having the best view, stay up until the wee hours of the morning, when the moon sets and allows the sky to darken, around 5:15 am. The Washington Post report that the sky will be dark enough for a good show by 3 am.
The Leonid shower happens every year in November. This year's shower will be relatively tame, since Earth will be passing through a less crowded area of debris from the comet Temple-Tuttle. Previous showers showcased hundreds or thousands of meteors an hour.
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