Hopefully you had a chance to get out and observe some of the bright meteors from the Taurids during the last week. These were few but quite bright.

If you didn’t, then tonight is your night. The Leonids will be starting after dark overnight tonight Nov 16 and into the early morning of Nov 17. They will appear to emanate from the constellation Leo rising a little after midnight. These are one of the better showers during the year (behind Geminids and Perseids). They are the result of debris being left behind from Comet Tempel-Tuttle which returns every 33 years.

The forecast tonight is for clear skies and no Moon. So get yourself out to a dark location and enjoy the wonderful show that nature will be providing. The peak for our area is expected to occur around 4 am in the morning of Tues 17 Nov as we pass through a slightly more dense stream of debris, but any time after midnight should provide a good show with rates ranging from about 20 per hour to more than 50 per hour.

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Since Mars is also currently located near Leo, it will be rising at the same time. And we are now only a few months away from opposition so Mars will be getting closer and brighter than it’s been for almost 2 years. So you have a double incentive to get out observing. Perhaps you will catch a meteor passing in front of Mars – now that would be a real photo-op!