When the Leonids streak across the sky, astronomers know that comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle is nearby. Every year, the iconic meteor shower offers a spectacular show… and experts say this weekend is going to be particularly special.

Between November 3 and December 2, but especially during the weekend of November 16 and 17, the Leonids will be exceptionally easy to see and appreciate, according to the American Meteor Society. Between the night of November 16 and the early hours of November 17, then again from late dawn from November 17 to early November 18Technically speaking, the Leonids are nothing more than chunks of ice, rock and dust that turn into flashes of light as they burn up in the atmosphere and Tempel-Tuttle makes its annual trip around Earth. The 2.24-mile-diameter comet also eventually orbits the Sun, although it takes 33 years.

The flashy meteor show occurs because our planet is moving in a direction almost opposite to that of 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, the meteors are crashing into our planet’s atmosphere. Under ideal conditions, the Leonids could produce around 15 meteors per hour in 2024.

“About once every 33 years, the ‘lion roars,’ as Leonid meteors appear to rain down from the sickle asterism in the constellation Leo.” writes David Dickinson of Universe Todaywho saw the Leonids up close, explaining why this particular Leonid meteor shower might be memorable. The tracks left by the Leonids, which will soon be visible, were made centuries ago, such as in 1633 (which gave rise to a storm in 2001) and in 1733 (which is said to have caused a Leonid meteor storm in 1866). . Earth is not expected to encounter new dense debris clouds until 2099, so when 55P/Tempel-Tuttle returns in 2031 and 2064, it may not bring meteor showers.