In the mood for a sky show you can capture, edit, and keep for posterity’s sake? You are right on time for the Leonids Meteor Shower, which will rain down the skies on Nov 17 and Nov 18 (Tues and Wednesday). Peak viewing is at 3am although some groups will set out their telescopes as early as 10pm.
The Leonids are an annual event caused when the Earth passes through the debris left behind by Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. This comet passes the Earth’s orbit every 33 years; it’s not due for a date with our planet until 2031, but some of it’s broken off bits certainly are. Each year, this stream of particles jet down the Earth’s atmosphere at a rate of about 71km/s, creating flares across the night sky.
These meteors look as through they are coming from the constellation Leo, which gives them their name. During peak hour, you can see about 15 meteors fly past every hour.
According to the Dubai Astronomy Club, once the moon sets at around midnight, the sky will turn into a better canvas for the meteor dance.
A fan of sparks in the sky? Here are some top spots to catch them this year.
Al Qudra Desert
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