Photo via Shutterstock
It’s going to be a dazzling month, Canada! Whether you’re a photographer, a date seeker or a night owl, point your peepers upward for the Leonid meteor shower— a beautiful display in which “shooting stars” dance across the sky.
Considered a “major meteor shower,” by NASA, this event may not be as active as others, but it is bright and “can also be colourful.”
“They are also fast,” they explain.
“Leonids travel at speeds of 44 miles (71 kilometres) per second, and they are considered to be some of the fastest meteors.”
Want to see it for yourself? Mark your calendar for November 17th and 18th, when it peaks.
The Leonids can have meteor rates as low as about 15 meteors per hour, but it has been known to produce significantly more than that.
“The famous Leonid meteor shower produced one of the greatest meteor storms in living memory,” says EarthSky.
“Rates were as high as thousands of meteors per minute during a 15-minute span on the morning of November 17, 1966. That night, Leonid meteors did, briefly, fall like rain. Some who witnessed it had a strong impression of Earth moving through space, fording the meteor stream.”
Can we expect something like that to happen again this year? Don’t hold your breath, but it’ll still be worth the watch.
According to the Canadian Space Agency, it’s best to head away from city lights.
“To increase your chances of seeing shooting stars, set out in search of dark skies in the countryside,” they write.
“If you need to use a flashlight, place a red filter over the bulb (a red balloon will do in a bind). White light is very blinding and may affect your night vision”
In addition to this, they also suggest dressing warmly and bringing a thermos of hot chocolate or coffee.
“It will come in handy if you start to drift off or get a little chilly,” they continue.
Our advice? Be patient.
Your eyes will need to adjust and it could be tough to see them due to the light of the moon and their speed.
Good luck, and have fun.
It could be something truly amazing.
When: Active from November 3rd –
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