Astrology

The Leonid meteor shower is due over the UAE on November 17 and 18

The Leonid meteor shower is due over the UAE on November 17 and 18, What's On reports. It is one of several meteor showers visible during November, with the Southern and Northern Taurids also active earlier in the month, according to Condé Nast Traveller Middle East.

The Leonids' regular maximum is predicted for approximately 3.45am UAE time on November 18, Condé Nast Traveller Middle East reports. The magazine says the timing offers a stretch of darkness after the Moon has set.

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The Leonids follow two Taurid showers#

The Southern Taurids reach their November maximum around November 5, followed by the Northern Taurids around November 12, according to Condé Nast Traveller Middle East. Curly Tales gives peak dates of November 4 and 5 for the Southern shower and November 11 and 12 for the Northern shower.

Condé Nast Traveller Middle East describes the Taurids as sparse and relatively slow, with occasional fireballs. Curly Tales calls fireballs unusually bright meteors and says the Northern Taurids' visible count varies with meteor activity and viewing conditions.

The Leonids move much faster than the Taurids, according to Condé Nast Traveller Middle East. The magazine says the Leonids are expected to have the higher peak rate of the three November showers.

The Leonids take their name from Leo#

Meteor showers occur as Earth passes through trails of comet debris, Condé Nast Traveller Middle East reports. Wikipedia identifies the Leonids with comet Tempel-Tuttle and says their name comes from Leo, the constellation containing the point from which the meteors appear to radiate.

Wikipedia describes the Leonids as an annual shower associated with meteor storms about every 33 years. Condé Nast Traveller Middle East says Earth encounters specific debris trails at a similar stage of its yearly orbit.

Dubai group usually hosts desert sessions#

The Dubai Astronomy Group usually holds interactive meteor-viewing sessions in the Al Qudra desert, What's On reports. The sessions include an introduction to how meteors form, stories about the significance of astronomical events and opportunities to view planets through telescopes.

Condé Nast Traveller Middle East says viewing conditions depend on the hour, the Moon's position and distance from artificial light. For the Leonids, the magazine identifies the night of November 17 to 18 as the period around the predicted regular maximum.

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