Stargaze › Meteor Showers › Leonids
Peak: 17 November 2026, around 20:00 UTC
Active: 6 November 2026 – 30 November 2026
Rate at peak: up to 15 meteors/hour (ZHR)
Speed: 71 km/s ·
Parent body: Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle ·
Radiant: Leo
In most years the Leonids produce just 15 meteors an hour - modest by any measure. But every 33 years, when Comet Tempel-Tuttle swings back through the inner solar system, Earth ploughs through the densest part of its debris trail and rates can hit thousands per hour. The 1833 storm was so intense that people genuinely thought the world was ending.
Face east and look toward Leo after midnight. Even in ordinary years the Leonids are fast and bright enough to make the session worthwhile. In years near Comet Tempel-Tuttle's return, keep an eye on IMO storm predictions - a surprise outburst is always possible.
Best from the Northern Hemisphere where Leo climbs higher. The 1833 storm prompted widespread panic across North America and inspired some communities to abandon their homes.
The 1833 storm produced an estimated 100,000 meteors an hour. An 1866 observer described the sky as a snowstorm of fire. The 1966 storm hit 150,000 ZHR - the most intense recorded meteor storm in modern times. The 1999 and 2001 returns saw 3,000 to 4,000 ZHR. The next major return is forecast around 2032 to 2033.
The Leonids peak on 17 November 2026 at around 20:00 UTC. The shower is active from 6 November 2026 to 30 November 2026.
Under dark skies at peak you can expect up to 15 meteors per hour (ZHR). Light pollution and moonlight reduce that figure.
The radiant lies in the constellation Leo, but meteors appear across the whole sky. Face east and look toward Leo after midnight. Even in ordinary years the Leonids are fast and bright enough to make the session worthwhile. In years near Comet Tempel-Tuttle's return, keep an eye on IMO storm predictions - a surprise outburst is always possible.