PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — One of the more spectacular celestial events of the fall will be above us tonight. Tonight is the peak viewing time for the Leonid meteor showers.
The Leonids are visible from around Nov. 6 through Nov. 30. But Dr. Ed Guinan, professor of astro-physics and planetary science at Villanova University, said right now is peak viewing time. And with the moon a waxing crescent, it won’t interfere too much.
“This is particularly good because the moon is, first of all it’s clear, ha! If it’s cloudy it doesn’t matter. There’s little moon, so clear night. Cold, so it’ll be good viewing them,” he explained.
He said the best viewing time is after midnight, but they come from around 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Guinan said finding a dark spot to view the sky is key, so in the city, it might be Fairmount Park. In the suburbs, Valley Forge is nice and dark, and the Pine Barrens also provide ideal conditions.
They’re called the Leonids because they come out of the constellation Leo the Lion in the East, and Guinan said they are fairly easy to see.
He predicts those brave souls going out to watch could see 10 to 15 every hour — and bundle up, because the temperatures are expected to be around 38 degrees.
He said the meteors come from the debris of the Tempel-Tuttle comet.
“It leaves behind a debris field or trail, and the Earth runs into that trail and just depends, sometimes there’s thick parts of it, sometimes there’s thin parts where there’s not many particles,” he added.