The stars at night are big and bright.
The Leonid meteor shower is set to reach its peak Thursday night, Nov. 17, and especially between midnight and dawn Friday.
The astrological wonder started Nov. 3 and is expected to last through the end of the month, according to scientists at the Weather Channel.
What is the Leonid meteor shower — and what should you expect?
According to scientists, the Leonid meteors are fast-moving, bright pieces of space debris that come from the Earth’s northern hemisphere and the constellation Leo.
The bits of rubble are remnants of the Tempel-Tuttle comet interacting with the Earth’s atmosphere and then whizzing by. The annual show contains nearly 100 to 200 meteors during each shower.
Leonid meteors travel so close to the horizon that they have been nicknamed “Earth-grazers.”
Approximately 10 to 15 Leonid meteors will pass every hour at the peak of the storm, according to the Weather Channel.
What time does the show start?
While there is no rock-solid start time, most star-gazers have agreed that the ideal viewing conditions will be at midnight.
Where is it visible from?
Experts have said that the colorful meteor shower can be best viewed from the darkest area possible, but everyone in the world will be able to take part in viewing this heavenly wonder without having to possess any binoculars.
When is the next meteor shower?
The next Leonid meteor is scheduled to occur in 33 years in 2055.