Exact time Leonid meteor shower visible over UK tonight with ‘15 meteors per hour’

If you tin spot it done the snowfall clouds, stargazers are acceptable to beryllium treated to a spectacular show of the Leonid meteor ablution implicit the UK this week.

Despite galore worrying astir showers of snow implicit overmuch of the country, those looking to the skies volition beryllium capable to spot the meteors contiguous if the upwind is wide capable wherever you are earlier the snow comes down.

The Leonids – 1 of the much prolific yearly displays – are usually fast, agleam meteors and are associated with Comet Tempel-Tuttle.

A tiny way of debris is near by the comet arsenic it follows its way astir the Sun and this enters Earth’s ambiance astatine speeds of up to 70 kilometres per second, vaporising and causing the streaks of airy we telephone meteors.

The Leonid meteor ablution is expected to highest connected the nighttime of November 17 and into the aboriginal hours of Monday, November 18 determination volition beryllium up to 15 meteors an hr flashing crossed the sky.

The meteors volition beryllium disposable from midnight tonight/tomorrow morning, and proceed for respective hours until the dawn.

The Leonids are named arsenic specified due to the fact that they look to watercourse from the caput of the constellation Leo the Lion.

NASA said: "The Leonids, which highest during mid-November each year, are considered to beryllium a large ablution though meteor rates are often arsenic debased arsenic astir 15 meteors per hour. The Leonids are agleam meteors and tin besides beryllium colorful. They are besides fast: Leonids question astatine speeds of 44 miles (71 kilometers) per second, and they are considered to beryllium immoderate of the fastest meteors.

"Every 33 years, oregon so, viewers connected Earth whitethorn acquisition a Leonid tempest that tin highest with hundreds to thousands of meteors seen per hr depending connected the determination of the observer."

A wide entity and the darkest imaginable conditions – distant from artificial airy – volition make the champion imaginable conditions for catching a glimpse of the display.

Experts accidental nary specializer instrumentality is needed to spot the show arsenic it volition beryllium disposable to the bare eye.

NASA adds: "The Leonids are champion viewed starting astatine astir midnight section time. Find an country good distant from the metropolis oregon thoroughfare lights. Come prepared for wintertime temperatures with a sleeping bag, blanket, oregon tract chair. Orient yourself with your feet toward the east, prevarication level connected your back, and look up, taking successful arsenic overmuch of the entity arsenic possible.

"In little than 30 minutes successful the dark, your eyes volition accommodate and you volition statesman to spot meteors. Be diligent – the amusement volition past until dawn, truthful you person plentifulness of clip to drawback a glimpse."

Shyam Balaji, researcher successful astroparticle physics and cosmology astatine King’s College London, said: “To look for the Leonids, take a spot distant from metropolis lights and different sources of airy pollution.

“The meteors volition look to radiate from the constellation Leo, which rises successful the eastbound astir midnight.

“However, meteors tin beryllium seen each crossed the sky. Since the meteors look to radiate from the constellation Leo, this is however the ablution gets its name.

“This is wherever you should look. Bring a reclining chair, sleeping container oregon blanket.

“Lie level connected your backmost with your feet pointing eastbound and look up, taking successful arsenic overmuch of the entity arsenic possible.”

Those missing retired connected the shower’s highest volition inactive person a accidental to glimpse the show arsenic it continues for respective days afterwards though the showers mightiness beryllium overshadowed by the snowfall forecast to autumn from Monday nighttime into Tuesday.

In fact, with skies being taken implicit by heavy snowfall clouds from 7pm connected Monday until Tuesday morning, according to Met Office forecasts, it whitethorn beryllium overmuch much hard to glimpse the Leonid ablution aft Sunday night.