Lenoid Meteor Shower Witnessed By Many

On the night of 17th November many people across Asia witnessed the breath taking view of the meteor shower that everybody was waiting for. The peak siting time was between 02.30 hours to 05.00 hours. Many People from countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal, China, Malaysia witnessed the showers.

Lenoid Meteors being observed Credit: ALPO-Astronomy

Leniod Meteor shower occurs annually but this time the meteors were much denser and more in number. This is why the spectacle was witnessed by many people. The Leonid Meteor Shower belongs to the debris shed by comet 55/P Tempel-Tuttle as it passes our Sun in its 33.2 year orbit, with each successive pass of Tempel-Tuttle, new filaments of debris are left in space along with the old ones and these debris later fall into the Earths atmosphere. Each year during November, Earth passes through the filaments of these debris both old and new ones and the chances of impacting a particular stream from any one particular year of Tempel-Tuttle’s orbit becomes a matter of mathematical estimates.

In Pakistan the meteor’s began their show nearly at 02.30 hours and lasted till 05.00 hours. An average of 8 to 10 meteor showed up every hour. In one place total of 30 meteor’s were recorded and in the suburbs the counts was upto 55 above. Islamabad and the northern area’s witnessed the most meteors due to clear sky and less light pollution. The city of Rawalpindi recorded 2 to 3 meteors every hour due to light pollution.

Similarly in other countries like India, Nepal and China, the showers were clearly visible. Most counts were recorded in the suburbs and country side.

Related posts:

1. Yet Another Leonid Meteor Shower
2. Leonid Meteor Shower Expected Nov 17, 2009
3. Draconid Meteor Shower
4. Geminid Meteor Shower 2010