Peaks November 17–18
Next peak: November 17, 2026 · up to ~15 meteors/hour from Leo.
The fastest of the major showers — Leonid meteors hit the atmosphere at about 71 km/s. Most years are modest, but roughly every 33 years, as parent comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle returns, the Leonids can erupt into spectacular meteor storms with thousands per hour, as famously in 1833 and 1966.
Look toward Leo in the pre-dawn hours. Even in ordinary years the speed makes for striking meteors and persistent trains under a dark sky.
You don't need a telescope or binoculars — meteor showers are best enjoyed with the naked eye and the widest view of the sky you can find. Get well away from city lights, give your eyes 20–30 minutes to adapt to the dark, dress warmly, and look up. The meteors can appear anywhere; they only trace back to the radiant in Leo.
The meteors streak out from the constellation Leo — find it, and you've found the radiant.