The Leonids

Our guideWhat this means for your night

Our plain-language reading of the sources and calculations on this page. It adds no new facts; the quotes below are the evidence.

What to expect. The Leonids are famous for storms: the AMS lists 1833, 1866, 1966, 1999, 2001 and 2002, and NASA describes thousands of meteors per minute in 1966. But a normal year is modest. NASA says rates are often as low as about three meteors per hour, and the published ZHR in our table is 15. The AMS links the big displays to comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle being near perihelion, and NASA says the comet takes 33 years to orbit the Sun. The AMS adds that the 2031 and 2064 returns may bring good displays with rates over 100 an hour, though maybe not storms.

Timing. NASA says the Leonids are best from about midnight, and our calculation puts the radiant highest around 6:30 a.m. local mean solar time. In 2026, USNO shows 43% lit on Nov 16 and 53% on Nov 17: a Moon about half lit. In 2027 it's brighter, 84% lit on Nov 17 and 75% on Nov 18.

Tips that follow. Set expectations with kids before you go: in a typical year this is a quiet shower, and the storms are history. NASA suggests looking away from the radiant, where Leonids appear longer, and calls them bright and sometimes colorful, so each one counts.

The long game. Because the big displays track the comet's 33-year orbit, the AMS's note about 2031 and 2064 is the real reason to keep watching. A quiet Leonid night now is good practice for those returns.

LMST is local mean solar time, which can differ from your clock by an hour or more. The time the radiant is highest isn't a recommended start time; it can fall in twilight or daylight. Moon figures: USNO's one-day figure for each calendar date, requested for 39.83° N, 98.58° W (near the center of the contiguous US) at UTC−6. USNO doesn't say what time of day the figure applies to. Illumination only; check local moonrise and moonset.

Where they come from

“It takes comet Tempel-Tuttle 33 years to orbit the sun once.”

Source: NASA meteor shower page

“These outbursts are best seen when the parent object, comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, is near perihelion.”

Source: AMS meteor shower calendar

When they're active

“The Leonids of mid-November (max: November 17-19) are quite unpredictable, with rich displays occurring roughly every 33 years.”

Source: AMS major meteor showers

Where to look

“It is actually better to view the Leonids away from the radiant: They will appear longer and more spectacular from this perspective.”

Source: NASA meteor shower page

Leonids: radiant height and rise time, Nov 16, 2026

Our calculationFrom the radiant position on our calendar: right ascension (RA) 10.13 h, declination (Dec) +21.8° (AMS calendar data). Method on our About page.

Leonids: radiant height and rise time, Nov 17, 2027

Our calculationFrom the radiant position on our calendar: right ascension (RA) 152°, declination (Dec) +22° (IMO 2027 calendar). Method on our About page.

Highest altitude is when the radiant crosses due north-south. The rise time is when it clears a flat horizon, ignoring refraction, twilight and terrain.

How many to expect

“The Leonids, which peak during mid-November each year, are considered to be a major shower though meteor rates are often as low as about three meteors per hour.”

Source: NASA meteor shower page

“When the comet returns in 2031 and 2064, there may not be any meteor storms, but there may be several good displays with rates exceeding 100 per hour.”

Source: AMS meteor shower calendar

ZHR is a standardized rate: what one observer would count in an hour under a perfectly dark sky with the radiant straight overhead. It isn't a forecast, and what you count is usually lower.

What they look like

“The Leonids are bright meteors and can also be colorful.”

Source: NASA meteor shower page

Famous displays

“The Leonids are best known for producing meteor storms in 1833, 1866, 1966, 1999, 2001, and 2002.”

Source: AMS meteor shower calendar

“Viewers in 1966 experienced a spectacular Leonid storm: thousands of meteors per minute fell through Earth's atmosphere during a 15-minute period.”

Source: NASA meteor shower page

How to watch

“The Leonids are best viewed starting at about midnight local time.”

Source: NASA meteor shower page

For any meteor shower

“Most meteor showers are best observed between midnight and dawn.”

Source: AMS meteor FAQ

“Find a dark location with an unobstructed view and give your eyes at least 20–30 minutes to adjust. Full dark adaptation takes longer, so avoid bright lights and phone screens.”

Source: AMS meteor FAQ

“Meteor showers are best observed with the unaided eye. Binoculars and telescopes restrict your field of view, making it harder to catch meteors appearing across the sky.”

Source: AMS meteor FAQ

“Look toward a dark, clear part of the sky, roughly halfway between the horizon and directly overhead.”

Source: AMS meteor FAQ

“It is a standardized estimate of shower activity under ideal conditions: a very dark, clear sky with the radiant directly overhead. It is not the number most observers will actually see.”

Source: AMS meteor FAQ

How many meteors you actually see depends on the shower's activity that night, how dark your sky is, clouds, and how high the radiant is.

We don't know the weather on any given night. Check a forecast, and the calendar for the moon on each date.

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