Astronomy Leonid meteor shower: a spectacle in the Swiss sky
The coming nights offer the opportunity to observe the Leonid meteors in the sky. However, the full moon and the weather could make viewing difficult.
13.11.2024, 07:01
SDA
Over the next few days, skywatchers will have the opportunity to discover the Leonid meteors in the night sky. These fast but rare shooting stars will be visible from November 13 to 30.
The highest activity is expected on the night of November 17-18, as Marc Eichenberger, President of the Swiss Astronomical Society, told the Keystone-SDA news agency. However, the almost full moon, which is in the sky two days before the peak, could impair the view of the fainter meteors.
Best viewing conditions
Eichenberger recommends looking for the meteors above the fog line or in places with clear, dark skies. According to MeteoSwiss, clear visibility is only expected in Valais and on the southern side of the Alps in the coming days. In the lowlands and Central Plateau, however, fog will dominate.
Origin of the Leonids
The Leonids are the remnants of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttel, which crosses the Earth every year. The comet was discovered in 1865 and takes about 33 years to orbit the sun. The Leonid meteors are particularly fast and enter the Earth's atmosphere at speeds of around 70 kilometers per second, which corresponds to 252,000 kilometers per hour.
