Peaks around November 17 each year · up to ~15/hr at its best · very fast (71 km/s) · best from both hemispheres.
The Leonids are the speed demons of the meteor world — hitting the atmosphere at 71 km/s, faster than any other major annual shower. They peak each November with a modest ideal rate of around 15 meteors an hour, but what they lack in quantity they more than make up for in pure velocity: the streaks are vivid, swift, and often leave brief glowing trains. Historically, the Leonids have produced legendary storm years with thousands of meteors an hour, though those are rare and unpredictable.
When to watch
The Leonids are active from November 6 to November 30 each year, peaking around November 17. The radiant rises in the east in the late evening and climbs higher through the night, so the hours after midnight and toward dawn typically offer the best rates.
Where to look
The meteors appear to stream from the constellation Leo, rising in the east in the late-night hours. Don't stare straight at Leo — instead, face a wide, dark patch of sky nearby and let the meteors flash across your full field of view.
What makes it special
The Leonids are debris shed by comet Tempel–Tuttle, which swings through the inner solar system roughly every 33 years and replenishes the stream. At 71 km/s they are exceptionally fast, producing sharp, bright streaks that frequently leave persistent glowing trains behind them. The ideal zenithal hourly rate under a perfect dark sky is around 15 — real counts from a typical location will be lower.
How to watch
No telescope or binoculars — you need your eyes wide open and as much sky as possible. Get away from city lights, lie back so you can take in a broad sweep of the eastern sky, and give yourself at least 20 minutes to dark-adapt before you start counting.
Frequently asked
When do the Leonids peak?
Around November 17 every year, with activity running from roughly November 6 to November 30. Rates build gradually and drop off fairly quickly after the peak night.
How many Leonids will I actually see?
The ideal zenithal hourly rate is about 15 under a perfectly dark sky with the radiant overhead — one of the more modest rates among major annual showers. From a typical backyard with some light pollution, expect a handful per hour. The reward is quality over quantity: these are strikingly fast, bright meteors.
What causes the Leonids, and what are meteor storms?
The Leonids are grains shed by comet Tempel–Tuttle. In years shortly after the comet's roughly 33-year return, Earth can pass through an especially dense filament of debris, producing storm rates of thousands of meteors an hour. Those events are rare and hard to predict, but they're why the Leonids have a legendary reputation well beyond their modest annual average.
Other meteor showers
Quadrantids · Lyrids · Eta Aquariids · Southern Delta Aquariids · Perseids · Orionids · Geminids · Ursids