The Leonid meteor shower – or just Leonids, for short – peaks between 3:00 and 6:00 on 18 November. However, don’t worry too much if you miss out on seeing it. It’s a bit cloudy today, after all.

Even though it peaks in South Africa on the 18th, and elsewhere in the world on the 17th, you’d still be able to see a few streaks up until 30 November as well. It’s the second meteor shower for November.

What are the Leonids?

The Leonid meteor shower is associated with the comet Tempel-Tuttle, which was first observed in 902 AD, which passes by Earth every 33 years. The meteor shower gets its name from the Leo constellation.

We get to see the particles left behind by Tempel-Tuttle when Earth passes through the icy meteoroid stream every year, starting from 6 November and lasting until the end of the month.

The meteor shower is the brightest whenever the comet passes by Earth. However, the comet will only return in 2031, so we’ll have to make do with what we get tonight.

Is it visible from South Africa?

Yes, NASA assures that the Leonids are visible from both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. This year, the peak is expected to be at around 3;00 SAST on 18 November and will last until the early morning hours.

We should, however, not get our hopes up. There are three factors which might hinder visibility. Firstly, this year’s meteor shower is expected to be mild.

In addition, it’s cloudy in some parts of South Africa tonight, and then there’s also the waning gibbous moon which is set to light up the predawn night sky.

How to view the Leonid meteor shower

All you have to do is find a nice, dark spot away from light pollution, lie flat on your back if possible, and look up in the northeast direction. Take in as much of the sky as you can.

Do note that the Leo constellation does not come fully into view until after midnight, so heading out too early might end up being a disappointment.

The darker, the better, if you can get out of the city, by all means, do that. Take a blanket or comfortable chair and go early. And you won’t need expensive equipment either. Just a dark sky and patience.

Your eyes will need about 20 to 30 minutes do adjust to the dark. According to NASA, stargazes would be able to see up to 20 streaks per hour.

Watch: The Leonid Meteor Shower

This stream is live from Bangor in North Ireland

What happens during a meteor shower?

The simplest explanation is that a meteor or meteoroid is a space rock that enters Earth’s atmosphere. The bright streak you see, the meteor’s ‘tail’, is just glowing hot air.

When several space rocks move through our atmosphere, we call it a meteor shower. In most instances, space rocks are debris left behind in a comet’s orbit. NASA explains: