When observing a streak of light in the night sky, you might think of it one of two ways. Romantics will call it a shooting star, but more practical scientists will label it a meteor. For those who think of these lights as shooting stars, this might be a good weekend to make a wish. Because according to scientists, the Leonids meteor shower will reach its peak late Sunday night.
Let’s take a deeper look at shooting stars, what this all means, and how best to see the Leonids this weekend.
What is a meteor or shooting star?
A shooting star is really just a fancy way to say meteor. Meteors form when broken-off bits of comets and asteroids become space debris made up of dust, rock, and ice. As the Earth makes its way through space, it encounters these remnants that burn up when entering the atmosphere, putting on a show for anyone who’s lucky enough to catch it.
What is the Leonids meteor shower?
Skygazers have comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle to thank for the Leonid meteors. The comet was independently discovered by both Ernst Tempel in 1865 and Horace Tuttle the following year.
The Leonids meteor shower is a natural phenomenon that occurs yearly November through December, usually reaching its peak in mid-November.
At the meteor shower’s height during an average year, around 15 meteors per hour can be seen. About every 33 years, the meteor shower gets upgraded to a storm with hundreds to thousands of meteors per hour. However, we won’t see this happen in 2024.
Where did the idea of wishing on a shooting star come from?
In Walt Disney’s 1940 animated classic Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket taught audiences that wishing upon a star was a swell idea because you would get your heart’s desire. The House of Mouse didn’t invent the concept though. It just gave it a melodic tune.
The idea actually dates back to the 2nd century and the Greek astronomer Ptolemy. He believed that shooting stars meant the gods were sneaking a peak at humanity. This made it a good time to send up a request.
How best to see the Leonids meteor shower
Since the supermoon is still going strong at 98% full, it will be harder to see the meteor shower because of the extra light.
NASA suggests finding a spot away from the light pollution of cities and facing the east. Consider bringing warm blankets, jackets, and winter gear because the best time to see them is between midnight and dawn.
Telescopes and binoculars are not necessary. Just be patient and give your eyes time to adjust to the dark. Once they do, you might just see a good reason to make a wish!