The Dazzling Leonid Meteor Shower Peaks This Weekend—Here’s Your Viewing Guide

Following this week's dazzling display of the northern lights, stargazers are in for another celestial treat. The annual Leonid meteor shower, which has been active since last week, will peak this weekend and will remain active until November 30, according to the American Meteor Society.

Named after the constellation Leo, which is where the meteors appear to originate from, this meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through a trail of dust and particles left behind by the 55P/Tempel-Tuttle comet. The meteors are streaks of light caused by the debris burning up as it hits Earth's atmosphere at high speeds.

According to NASA, the Leonids are known for producing bright, colorful shooting stars that travel at speeds of 44 miles per second, making them some of the fastest meteors ever. During an average year can expect to see about 10 to 15 meteors an hour under dark skies.

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However, roughly every 33 years, stargazers may witness a Leonid storm. which is defined as producing at least 1,000 meteors per hour, according to The Planetary Society. Unfortunately, the next Leonid storm is not expected to happen again until 2031.

The best time to catch the shower is between midnight and the pre-dawn hours on Sunday night. Bundle up and find a spot with clear skies, away from light pollution. It will take your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness. You'll also want to avoid looking at your phone during this time.

Fortunately, the waning crescent moon on Sunday night will only be about 9 percent illuminated, according Astronomy.com, so you won't have to worry about the moonlight interfering with the shower's visibility.