Stargazing: Leonids Meteor Shower to Light the Sky After the November Supermoon

Right after the extravagant supermoon show, stargazers will be treated to another celestial event as the Leonids Meteor shower is also expected to occur this month of November.

But remember to look out for some stray shooting stars as some reports say that meteors could be spotted as early as Nov. 13 and when the supermoon is still at its biggest on Nov. 14. Leonids will be at its peak on Nov. 17. This is a relief for many since it is not directly on the same peak date as the supermoon. A bright and big moon might dampen the meteor shower experience, so the Leonids meteor shower occurring a few days after the supermoon is a good thing.

The Leonids meteor shower will grace the sky until Nov. 21, until the supermoon shrink to a half moon. The meteors from the Leonids shower originate from Comet Tempel-Tuttle and its orbit from the constellation Leo. The comet's debris will hit the Earth's atmosphere to create shooting stars.

Although the shower occur annually, it reaches an active phase where more meteors can be seen every 33.3 years. years thus making the shower more interesting and anticipated by many. Another interesting fact is that there is no specific location as to where the meteors would appear, so both residents of Northern and Southern hemisphere will be able to witness the Leonids meteor shower. But it will tend to favor the Southen hemisphere.

"The Leonids are an OK shower from the Southern Hemisphere," NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke said in a statement.

During the peak of the shower, 10 to 15 meteors can be expected per hour with the speed of 71 kilometers (44 miles) per second. Unlike the Perseid's meteor shower that occurs annually, Leonids only becomes more interesting after every 33 years. This year's shower will not be as extravagant but experts believe that the 2033 shower will be a storm that will be an actual feast for the eyes. Interestingly, the next biggest supermoon will occur in 2034.

Cooke says that you can expect to see 10 to 15 meteors per hour, which travel 71 kilometers or 44 miles per second. However, Leonid is still considered a minor meteor shower until they burst or storm in 2033.