NEW DELHI: After the Diwali fireworks, the night sky will be lit up by the famous Leonid meteor shower that is expected to peak on Sunday.
Skywatchers can see about 15 to 20 shooting stars every hour for the next couple of days.
"People can get the best view of meteor showers during the wee hours just before dawn," Science Popularisation Association of Communicators and Educators (SPACE) President Chander Bhushan Devgun said.
As a general rule, the fast-flying Leonid meteors do not pick up steam until after midnight, and the greatest numbers of meteors would rain down shortly before dawn, he said.
Meteor showers occur when earth crosses the cometary orbit. As comets move about their orbits they leave a stream of debris because dust and rocky material is liberated from its head as the ice vapourise.
"A meteor is commonly called a shooting star. These shooting stars can be seen on any night, but when the number of meteors is large, it is called a meteor shower," Devgun said.
The Leonids originates from a comet named Tempel-Tuttle, which makes a visit to the sun every 33 years.
The meteor shower has its radiant in the constellation Leo.
"The meteor showers last for just fraction of seconds before they are gone. Better gaze the sky for the beautiful show," Devgun said.
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Leonids to light up night sky
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