When and how to observe the Leonids meteor shower in November 2025

In November, residents of Russia will experience one of the most spectacular astronomical events of autumn — the peak of the Leonida meteor shower. In 2025, the peak of the annual starfall, known for its fast and bright meteors, is expected on Monday, November 17th. Up to 15 meteors per hour can be seen in the sky. Izvestia tells us when and how best to observe "shooting stars".

What is the Leonida Meteor Shower?

The Leonids are one of the most famous and historically significant meteor showers. Its parent body is comet 55P/Tempel—Tuttle, which, orbiting the Sun, leaves behind a plume of fine dust particles and rocks.

Every year in mid-November, the Earth crosses this plume, and comet particles, bursting into the atmosphere of our planet at a speed of about 71 km/ s, burn up, leaving bright flashes in the sky. In addition to the high speed, the distinctive features of Leonid are long glowing trails that last for several seconds.

The meteor shower got its name from the constellation Leo. It is in this part of the sky that the Leonid radiant is located — the area from which meteors "fly out".

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History of observations of Leonids

The Leonids have made history due to their impressive bursts of activity, which sometimes develop into real meteor storms. The most famous case occurred in November 1833, when up to hundreds of thousands of meteors per hour could be observed in the sky. This event, which frightened and delighted contemporaries, became the impetus for the active study of meteor showers.

It was observations of the Leonids that helped scientists understand that meteors are not of atmospheric origin, but of cosmic origin. In 1865, Comet Tempel—Tuttle was discovered, and its study confirmed the connection between comets and meteor showers.

And although the comet passes close to the Sun only once every 33 years, the Earth annually encounters its dust trail, which ensures the constancy of the astronomical phenomenon, which is observed annually in the middle of autumn.

Conditions for monitoring the Leonids in November 2025

According to the Moscow Planetarium, in 2025, the most favorable conditions will be created for observing Leonid. The peak activity of the stream is expected on November 17 at about 21:00 Moscow time. However, the best visibility will come later, after midnight and before dawn, when the radiant in the constellation Leo rises high above the eastern horizon.

Residents of the northern and central regions of the country are advised to travel outside the city — to a distance of 30-50 km, where urban illumination will not interfere with observation.

Leonid's peak activity will occur just three days before the new moon (November 20, 2025), which means that the thin crescent Moon will disappear below the horizon in the early evening hours and will not interfere with observation. The dark sky will allow you to see even the faintest meteors.

It is expected that up to 15-20 meteors can be observed per hour. The stream is active from November 6 to November 30, so there will be chances to see a "shooting star" on other days.

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How to watch the starfall on November 17th

In order to enjoy the spectacle, no special equipment is required — meteors can be observed with the naked eye. However, you should follow a few simple rules.

• Location selection: you need to find a place as far away from the glare of the city as possible. The countryside, parks outside the city, or special sites for astronomical observations are ideal.

• Preparation: you need to get dressed according to the weather, take a thermos with hot tea and a folding chaise longue or armchair to watch the sky lying down. This will provide the widest possible view.

• Observation time: observation should be started earlier than the specified time, as it takes 20-30 minutes for the eyes to fully adapt to the dark.

• Direction of view: do not look directly at the radiant in the constellation Leo. Meteors are best seen at a distance of 30-40 degrees from it. It is optimal to look at the zenith, a point in the sky directly overhead.

• Special applications: You can find and identify Leonids in the night sky using the Star Walk 2 and Sky Tonight applications, which use a compass and GPS data to accurately determine the location of celestial bodies.

Following these recommendations will allow us to fully enjoy the unique cosmic event that Comet Tempel—Tuttle annually presents to us.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the Northern Taurids meteor shower, which peaked on November 11.

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