Aussies treated to month long meteor shower as Leonids light up night sky

A stunning meteor shower will light up the Australian night sky throughout November as Earth passes through the debris left behind by Comet Tempel-Tuttle.

The annual Leonid meteor will streak across the sky starting Monday before reaching its peak on the morning of November 17 and 18.

The meteor shower will last until early next month as Earth passes through the meteor stream in space, EarthSky reports.

The astronomy-based website reported that the meteor will rise around midnight and reach its highest peak in the sky at dawn.

Astronomers said it might be possible to see up to 15 Leonid meteors per hour under a dark sky with no Moon.

“The famous Leonid meteor shower produced one of the largest meteor storms in living memory,” EarthSky said on its website.

“For a 15-minute period on the morning of November 17, 1966, rates were as high as thousands of meteors per minute.

“That night, Leonid meteors briefly rained down.

“Some who witnessed this had the strong impression that the Earth was moving through space, dodging the meteor stream.”

According to the statement on Time and Date’s website, the meteor shower is called the Leonids because it originates from the constellation Leo, which takes approximately 33 years to orbit around the Sun.

A spokesman said the meteor shower can be viewed by anyone and under the right conditions no special equipment is needed to see it.

They recommended people find a secluded spot away from city lights and wait about 20 minutes for their eyes to adjust to the darkness.

“Once you find your vantage point, lie down on the ground and look up at the sky,” a spokesperson said.

“The higher the radiant is above the horizon, the more meteors you are likely to see.

“Meteor showers appear to originate radiantly, but meteors can appear anywhere in the sky.”