What are the Leonids?
An annual shower from comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle (orbit ~33 years), named for its radiant in Leo.
Dates in 2026
NASA lists activity 6–30 Nov 2026 with the peak night 16–17 Nov. The AMS 2026 table gives 28 Oct–7 Dec, maximum around 18 Nov, ZHR ~15. Plan for the nights of 16–18 Nov.
What to expect
Rates are usually modest, but Leonids are among the fastest meteors (~71 km/s) and are known for fireballs and Earth-grazers. Major storms recur roughly every 33 years; the last was in 2002.
How to watch
Start after local midnight, get away from city lights, lie back with your feet toward the east, allow ~30 minutes for dark adaptation, and look away from Leo for longer trails.
Further reading
Reference links for verification. This article is original Vemetto wording and does not copy source text.