About this Event

Leonids Meteor Shower Peak Activity: 2025-11-16 Activity Period: 2025-11-03 to 2025-12-02 Expected Rate: 15 meteors per hour at peak Viewing Information: Best viewing time: 0:00 local time Maximum radiant altitude: 21.7° Visibility score: 43.34056358575674/100 Details: Leonids Next period of activity: November 3rd, 2025 to December 2nd, 2025 The Leonids are best known for producing meteor storms in the years of 1833, 1866, 1966, 1999, 2001 and 2002. These outbursts of meteor activity are best seen when the parent object, comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, is near perihelion (closest approach to the sun). Yet it is not the fresh material we see from the comet, but rather debris from earlier returns that also happen to be most dense at the same time. Unfortunately, it appears that the earth will not encounter any dense clouds of debris until 2099. Therefore, when the comet returns in 2031 and 2064, there may not be any meteor storms, but perhaps several good displays of Leonid activity when rates are in excess of 100 per hour. Each passing year also presents new possibilities from old debris fields. In 2024, the waning gibbous moon will rise during the late evening hours and will spoil the best viewing hours for this shower. Shower details - Radiant : 10:16 +21.8° - ZHR : 15 - Velocity: 43.5 miles/sec (swift - 69.7km/sec) - Parent Object: 55P/Tempel-Tuttle Next Peak - The Leonids will next peak on the Nov 16-17, 2025 night. On this night, the moon will be 9% full. *** Viewing Tips: - Find a dark location away from city lights - Allow 20-30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark - Look at the entire sky, not just the radiant point - Best viewing is typically between midnight and dawn