The Leonids are famous for being spectacular storms -- since the orbit of the Temple-Tuttle comet intersects with that of Earth, the debris cloud our planet passes through each year is dense and full of particles and meteoroids. In optimal viewing conditions on a good year, you can see between 15 and 30 meteors per hour streaking across the sky during the peak.

Read Wired Science's report anticipating the 2010 Leonid shower.

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Where to look

The Leonid meteor shower takes place in the region of the sky around the constellation Leo, hence the name. It's primarily visible to those in the Northern Hemisphere. Once you find Leo, that's not the only place you should be looking. That's just the center of the shower, or the "radiant," the point from which the streaks will appear to radiate.

In North America, Leo rises around midnight in the East.

The easiest way to spot Leo with the unaided eye is to look for the familiar shape of the Big Dipper, part of the constellation Ursa Major, in the northern sky. Use the same two "pointer stars" on the front edge of the Big Dipper's bowl that you can use to find the North Star, except trace a line in the opposite direction (toward the horizon) about the same distance. You'll wind up right in the middle of Leo. Remember the famous phrase: "A hole in the bowl will leak on Leo."

Leo's defining characteristic is the "sickle," a backwards question mark of bright stars that form the head and mane of the lion. The bright star Regulus is at the bottom of the sickle. Denebola, also quite bright, marks the lion's tail.

If you're familiar with the quadrant system used by most star charts and navigation systems, Leo is in NQ2.

If you have more sophisticated equipment, dial in these coordinates:

• Right Ascension: 11h
• Declination: +15º

Apps

No, really -- where the hell is Leo?

If you have an Android phone, get Google Sky Map.

If you have an iPhone or an iPad, get Starmap or Star Walk

Pick a spot

Big cities, suburban sprawl and other densely populated areas cause off-light pollution -- that hazy man-made glow that obscures the night sky. Tall buildings and trees can obscure your views as well. If you live in the country, you're golden. You backyard is probably a great option if you turn off all the lights in your house. Otherwise, you may have to travel to somewhere on the outskirts of town, or a nearby mountain. Remember that temperatures can drop considerably overnight, so take an extra fleece for any young observers and a flask of coffee or hot chocolate for the trip home.

Find a nearby star party or shower party -- gatherings of amateur astronomers that usually take over a remote parking lot or corner of a park where viewing conditions are optimal. The gatherings are usually free and full of friendly geeks with sweet meteor-viewing gear. Just be sure to study up on the rules (no headlights!) before you go.

Best times

The 2010 Leonid meteor shower peaks during the predawn hours of Wednesday, Nov. 17th, but the predawn hours on Thursday and Friday mornings will also be good times.

Leo rises around midnight in the East, but the moon will be big and bright in the sky for a few more hours. Once the moon sets in the wee hours, you'll have a great viewing window for about two hours before dawn.

See all upcoming astronomy events on Sea and Sky's calendar.

Pack the right gear

One essential gadget for meteor viewing is a "star light," or a night-vision flashlight that produces a dim red glow. You can't carry a regular flashlight -- the white light ruins your night vision and the night vision of everyone around you for several minutes. You can pick up a special night-vision flashlight at a camping store or a shop that sells telescopes. Or you could simply make your own using red-tinted kitchen plastic wrap and a small flashlight with an old-school bulb (not an LED).

The best views are to be found far away from civilization, so you'll want to make sure you pack for the journey. You're likely spending the night (or a significant portion of it) in the wilderness, so bring water, food, GPS unit, a printed map and climate-appropriate clothing. Also, if you're hiking to a secret spot, make sure you tell somebody where you're headed.

Take photos

The Leonids are one of those rare occasions when you can just point a stationary-mounted camera at the Northern sky, leave the shutter open for a few minutes, and end up with a few clear frames of actual shooting stars. Sure, it takes patience and practice, but it's the sort of activity digital photography is made for.

See our guide to photographing meteor showers here on the Wired How-to wiki. Add yours below.

Links

NASA has some information and advice on meteor viewing.

Authors: How-To Wiki

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