The Leonid meteor shower, which typically brings magnificent meteor storms every 33 years, won’t create a storm this year, but it will still display its signature fast fireballs this weekend.

During its peak, observers can expect to see meteors racing across the sky at speeds reaching approximately 44 miles per second. The Leonids are particularly known for their vibrant fireballs, which shine brighter and last longer than standard meteors, sometimes appearing as if their long tails are almost touching the Earth, as stated by NASA.

However, viewers should note that while these meteors are fast, they are not very numerous. At peak viewing times, you might observe around 15 meteors per hour.

Every few decades, the shower can produce meteor storms, resulting in hundreds or even thousands of meteors visible in a single hour because of the debris from its parent comet. A notable example occurred in 1966, when thousands of meteors fell in a 15-minute span, drawing significant attention, according to EarthSky.org.

The last major Leonid meteor storm happened in 2002, so we have a few years to wait until the next one occurs.

Here’s when and how you can best observe the Leonids.

What Time to Watch the Leonid Meteor Shower?

The Leonids are active from November 3 to December 2, with their peak occurring on Saturday and Sunday, as indicated by the American Meteor Society.

How to Observe the Leonids

The best time to watch the Leonids is around midnight in your local time zone.

This year, unfortunately, the nearly full waning gibbous moon will likely wash out some of the meteors, making visibility more challenging, warns the Meteor Society.

While the meteors are named after the constellation Leo from which they appear to emanate, NASA suggests looking away from Leo to get better views. The meteors can be spotted all over the night sky, and those viewed away from the radiant will appear brighter with longer tails.

Here are some tips for a better viewing experience:

• Choose a location far from city lights and light pollution.
• Dress warmly and bring a sleeping bag, blanket, or a lawn chair.
• Lie back with your feet facing east and try to take in as much of the sky as possible.

Allow your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness in order to spot the shooting meteors. Patience is key, as the display will last until dawn.

What Creates the Leonid Meteor Shower?

Meteor showers occur when Earth travels through the trails of dust and debris left behind by comets and other celestial objects. The debris consists of meteoroids that strike Earth’s atmosphere at high speeds, leading to their disintegration and creating the bright flashes commonly referred to as shooting stars, according to NASA.

These luminous streaks in the sky occur when meteoroids survive their fiery journey through the atmosphere; if they make it to the ground, they are referred to as meteorites, according to NASA.

The meteoroids associated with the Leonids come from the comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, which was discovered independently by two astronomers in the mid-1800s.

Although the Leonids are renowned for occasionally creating meteor storms, none are expected this year. These storms typically happen every 33 years when the parent comet passes close to the sun, shedding fresh debris.

According to the American Meteor Society, what we see during the meteor shower is not freshly ejected material but rather remnants from earlier comet visits that align to produce a thicker area of debris at that time.

The next opportunity for another meteor storm may occur when the comet returns in 2031 and 2064, but it is more likely that good displays of Leonid activity, with rates exceeding 100 meteors per hour, will still be seen then.