The Leonid Meteor Shower Returns This November — How to See It
Grab your lawn chair, sleeping bag, and hot cup of cocoa because the Leonid meteor shower, one of the most famous and unpredictable sky shows, will peak in the early hours of November 17, 2025. Between midnight and dawn, skywatchers could spot 10 to 15 meteors per hour streaking across the sky.
But this shower isn’t just a pretty display. It’s also a cosmic time capsule with a dramatic history.
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Where Do the Leonid Meteor Showers Come From?
The Leonids are born from Periodic Comet Tempel-Tuttle, which orbits the Sun every 33 years. Each time the comet swings close to our star, it sheds bits of icy debris. When Earth passes through that dusty trail, those tiny fragments burn up in our atmosphere and create the brilliant flashes we call meteors.
As detailed by EarthSky, the shower’s name comes from its apparent origin point, or “radiant,” in the constellation Leo. A common misconception is that you need to find the radiant in the sky in order to enjoy a meteor shower. In actuality, the meteor shower will appear throughout the sky and will actually look brighter the farther away from the radiant you look.
Leonids are also some of the fastest meteors, racing at speeds up to 44 miles per second. They’re often bright, colorful, and occasionally deliver dazzling fireballs or Earth-grazers — meteors that skim the atmosphere and leave long, glowing trails near the horizon.
How to See the Leonids
To get the best view, head somewhere dark and far from city lights. The ideal viewing window begins after midnight when the radiant climbs higher in the sky. For viewing positions, NASA suggests the best position is lying flat on your back with your feet pointed to the east. Also, try to be patient! Give your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the dark, as you’ll start to see more meteors as your night vision kicks in.
If the moon is up, try to shield yourself from its brightness by positioning yourself near a house, tree, or vehicle.
Why Are the Leonids So Special?
The Leonids are legendary for a reason. The 1833 Leonid meteor storm is considered the first major meteor event of modern times, astonishing observers with hundreds of thousands of meteors per hour.
Then came 1966, when the Leonid meteors fell so frequently that they looked like fiery raindrops — a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle that saw thousands of meteors per minute blazing across the predawn sky.
While 2025 won’t bring that kind of storm, the Leonids’ legacy continues to inspire astronomers and casual skywatchers alike.
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