Every November, Earth passes through a trail of debris left behind by Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, and the result is one of the most dramatic meteor showers of the year — the Leonids.

What Are the Leonids?

The Leonids get their name from the constellation Leo, the lion — the point in the sky from which the meteors appear to radiate. They're actually tiny particles of dust and ice shed by Comet Tempel-Tuttle as it orbits the Sun every 33 years. When these particles slam into Earth's atmosphere at around 70 km/s — making them one of the fastest meteor showers known — they burn up in brilliant streaks of light.

When Do the Leonids Peak in 2026?

The Leonids are active from November 3 to December 2, but the peak this year falls on the night of November 17–18, 2026. The best viewing window is between midnight and dawn, when the radiant point in Leo rises high in the sky.

At peak, you can expect anywhere from 10 to 15 meteors per hour under dark skies. In storm years — which happen roughly every 33 years when Earth passes through the densest part of the debris trail — rates can reach thousands per hour, but 2026 is not a storm year.

How to Watch from Mumbai

Mumbai's light pollution makes city-based meteor watching difficult, but here's how to make the most of it:

Get out of the city. Even 50–60 km outside Mumbai makes a significant difference. Areas like Matheran, Karjat, or Bhandardara offer dramatically darker skies.

Find a clear eastern horizon. Leo rises in the east, so you want an unobstructed view in that direction.

Let your eyes adjust. Give yourself at least 20–30 minutes in the dark before you start counting meteors. Resist the urge to check your phone.

Look away from the radiant. Meteors appear everywhere in the sky, but they'll seem to originate from Leo. Looking about 90 degrees away from the radiant gives you longer, more dramatic meteor trails.

Dress warmly. November nights in Maharashtra can get surprisingly cold, especially at altitude. Layers are essential.

What Makes a Leonid Special?

Beyond sheer numbers, Leonids are known for their speed and brightness. Because they hit the atmosphere so fast, they often leave persistent trains — glowing trails that linger in the sky for several seconds after the meteor has passed. Some of the brightest ones, called fireballs, can light up the entire sky.

The colour of a Leonid meteor tells you something about its composition. White or blue-white meteors are burning magnesium; yellow or orange indicates sodium; red suggests nitrogen and oxygen in the upper atmosphere.

Astrophotography Tips for the Leonids

If you want to capture the shower:

Use a wide-angle lens (14–24mm) pointed at a dark patch of sky near Leo
Set your aperture to f/2.8 or wider
ISO 1600–3200 depending on your camera
Expose for 15–25 seconds per frame
Use an intervalometer to shoot continuously through the night
Stack multiple frames in post-processing to capture several meteors in one image

Come Watch With Us

Our November 14 event at Bhandardara falls just days before the Leonids peak — you'll catch the shower building toward its maximum under one of Maharashtra's darkest skies, guided by our team of expert astronomers with six professional telescopes.