Mon Nov 17 05:00:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the text about the Leonid meteor shower:

Headline: Leonid Meteor Shower Peaks This Week: How to Catch the Celestial Display

[City, State] – Skywatchers around the globe have a chance to witness the annual Leonid meteor shower this week, peaking on Monday. While not expected to be a storm like those of the past, the Leonids promise a potentially stunning display for those who know when and where to look.

According to EarthSky, the peak is expected around 1 p.m. ET on Monday. However, the best viewing window for many will be between 4 a.m. and sunrise local time on Monday morning, according to Robert Lunsford, Fireball Report Coordinator for the American Meteor Society. While meteors may be visible as early as 11 p.m. Sunday local time, when the constellation Leo rises, the pre-dawn hours offer the highest concentration.

“Unlike a lot of (meteor) showers, the Leonids have a very sharp peak,” Lunsford noted, emphasizing the brief window for optimal viewing. This is due to the relatively small debris trail left by the shower’s parent comet, 55P/Tempel-Tuttle.

Those who start watching around 11 p.m. Sunday might catch “Earth grazers,” meteors that streak across a larger portion of the sky and appear to last longer. However, Lunsford cautions that fewer meteors will be visible at this time as much of the activity will be below the horizon.

Under clear skies, viewers can expect to see 10 to 15 meteors per hour. While the Leonids are known for producing spectacular meteor storms, the last such event was in 2002. The most impressive storm occurred in 1966, with an estimated 40 meteors per second.

These storms are linked to the comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle reaching perihelion, its closest point to the sun. The comet takes approximately 33 years to orbit the sun, leading to heightened meteor activity roughly every 33 years. However, the Earth must pass through a particularly dense portion of the comet’s debris to trigger a full-blown storm.

While the comet’s next perihelion will occur in 2033, Lunsford doesn’t anticipate a storm. “We may see rates of around 100 an hour, which is comparable to the Geminids,” he said, “but we certainly don’t expect any storms which are 1,000 meters an hour.”

For those eager for more celestial events, other meteor showers are anticipated later this year. Stay tuned for more information on upcoming celestial events.

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