Leonids, << LEE uh nihds, >> are meteors that seem to come from a region of Earth’s sky that contains the constellation Leo. The meteoroids (particles or chunks of matter in space) that cause the Leonids travel around the sun in an orbit that the earth crosses about November 17 each year. They become visible when they enter the earth’s atmosphere.
In most years, few Leonids are seen. However, heavy Leonid meteor showers occur roughly every 33 years when Earth passes through the thickest part of the meteoroid swarm. A heavy Leonid shower occurred in 1999. The next such shower is expected to take place in 2032.
See also Leo.
