By Ranjan Bhaduri
Nov. 14, (THAINDIAN NEWS) The annual Leonid meteor shower of November has started from the 10th and is expected to peak on the 17th, with 400 shooting stars an hour. So, if you waited to see the meteors fall as rain from the sky, this may well be your chance. The experts from NASA and all around predict that, the meteor shower is going to be a strong one with high rates of meteors falling in every second.

However, to see them you must be ready at the proper time and the proper part of the World, since only a few countries will be able to witness the full impact of the spectacular sight, including the Southern Asia and Australia.

The Leonid derives its name from the constellation of Leo, related to The Lion and IS associated with the comet Tempel-Tuttle. This phenomenon is visible every year when our planet moves within the stream of particles left behind from the comet’s passage. The last few years, the shower has not been at its peak, unlike the years of 1833 and 1966, when more than tens of thousands of meteors per hour were observed .

The interested people will have to stay away from bright city lights from 2.00 AM to 4.00 AM in order to catch the full impact of the shower. The first stream is expected to peak across N. America at 3.00 AM and the second stream over India, Indonesia and China. These three countries will have ‘pre-dawn skies’ and thus are favorable for viewing. However, there may be an unexpected short-peak at any time, so the viewers will have to be ready at all times. Its going to be 17th soon, so be ready with your cameras.