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This article was originally written about 2010 but it has been fully up dated for 2011.

How to see the Leonoid meteor shower 2011; where to see them from and when can you see the Leonoid meteor shower in 2010. The times and dates vary slightly from year to year, so when searching the net for information check that the article was written about the 2011 Leonoid meteor shower and not one of the previous years.

What is the Leonoid meteor shower?

Meteor showers are also known as shooting stars, falling stars, fireballs and meteor storms (when there are more than 1000 as hour).

Meteorites are clouds of debris – small particles of dust and sand left behind in the wake of a comet. They come into view when the earth moves through their path and the debris vaporizes on contact with out atmosphere. We see a streak of bright light which is the meteor, or meteor shower when there are a few of them. The Leonoid meteors come from the Temple-Tuttle comet and they are an annual occurrence. They are called the Leonoid meteors because they appear to radiate from the "head" of the lion in the constellation Leo.

When is the Leonoid meteor shower 2011?

The shower will peak from 17th - 18th November 2010, but will actually be occuring from the 13th to the 20th November. The best time to see them is from midnight until sun rise.

Peak time: There could be up to 500 meteors per hour or as little as 50. Generally speaking if you are in the Northern hemisphere the hours between midnight and sun rise are best.13:30am EST – 5:30am EST, and 12:30am – 2:30 am PT. NYC – 05:36; LA – 05:26; London – 05:58; Jerusalem – 23:50; Mexico City 06:52; Paris 06:44; Moscow 00:48; Cape Town 04:20; Adelaide 03:24. You get the idea! There are traditional peak times and predicted peak times, which often differ, but if you are outside watching for them from midnight until dawn on the 17th or 18th of November 2011, you have the best chance of seeing them.

Where to look in the sky for the Leonoid meteor shower 2011?

Look towards the constellation of Leo in the east if you are in the northern hemisphere. As the meteor shower gets it's name from the fact that the meteors appear to radiate from the Leo constellation.

Where can you see the Leonoid meteor shower 2011 from?

The ideal location is Eastern Europe and Asia, but around the world they will be visible including all of North America. Get as far away from artificial light as you can, ideally in an area with clear horizons, and wait patiently, looking east towards the sickle shaped star constellation of Leo.

Ideal conditions:

This year the moonlight should not detract much from the spectacle as there will be some moonlight in the sky but not like on other years when a full moon detracts from the shower.

Best place to be in the world to see the meteors in central Asia, although they can be observed from around the globe. In the States it is better to be in one of the Northern states.

Get away from artificial lighting in cities if possible or find the darkest spot you can.

A cloudless night would also be advantageous.

Don't use binoculars or a telescope as this will limit your vision and it is best to keep an eye on the whole sky.