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The annual Leonid meteor showers will peak this weekend. At its peak, the showers can become a storm. The Leonids are bright sometimes colorful meteors, considered to be some of the fastest. According to NASA, they can travel 44 miles per second across the sky. 

Every year, the Leonid meteor showers light up the night sky, offering a dazzling display of shooting stars and fiery streaks. 

These meteors, originate from the comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. They provide stargazers with an unforgettable celestial show every year.

 While meteor showers are an annual event, the rare and extraordinary meteor storms are the real showstoppers. Skywatchers are, captivated by thousands of fireballs and earth grazing meteors when viewed under the right conditions.

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The Thrill of a Leonid Meteor Storm

Meteor storms are different from regular meteor showers due to their sheer intensity. To qualify as a storm, a meteor display must exceed 1,000 meteors per hour. 

One of the most legendary Leonid meteor storms occurred in 1966, a year when thousands of meteors per minute streaked across the sky during a brief 15-minute span.

Witnesses described the meteors falling so densely that they appeared like rain, creating a breathtaking celestial phenomenon.

The last Leonid meteor storm occurred in 2002, leaving stargazers eagerly awaiting the next spectacular event. But meteor storms are rare, only occurring approximately every 33 to 35 years when the parent comet's orbit around the sun releases fresh debris.

Leonid Meteor Showers Peak Activity

The Leonid meteor showers are expected to peak between Nov. 3 and Dec. 2, with the American Meteor Society highlighting Saturday and Sunday as prime viewing nights. 

During the peak, observers can witness meteors zipping across the sky at an astonishing speed of 44 miles per second.

In typical years, the shower produces around 15 meteors per hour at its height. However, during peak activity, as many as 30 meteors per hour may appear. And the meteors often showcase brilliant fireballs and Earth-grazer meteors. 

Fireballs and Earth-Grazers

According to NASA, fireballs are brighter and more colorful than average meteors, persisting longer due to their larger size and the composition of cometary material.