If you missed the meteor showers in October, there is another chance to catch sight of them at York University in November, when the Leonid meteor shower will light up the night sky.
The Leonid meteor shower can be viewed for free by the public at York University on the first clear weeknight between Monday, Nov. 12 and Friday, Nov. 16, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Check the weather reports for updates, which will be posted by 4 p.m. on the Allan I. Carswell Observatory Twitter page @yorkobservatory or Facebook page, to see if the telescopes will be set up for viewing that evening.
The Leonid meteors arise from the debris of Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle and seem to originate from the constellation Leo. There are usually about 15 meteors per hour with speeds of up to 72 kilometres per second.
“The Leonids are comparable to the Orionids and can produce some bright meteors or bolides,” said Professor Paul Delaney of the Faculty of Science. “Two notable displays in 1833 and 1966 were simply stunning in their intensity."
In addition to the meteor viewing, there will be a constellation tour and general telescope observing of the night sky. As the event takes place outdoors, be sure to dress for the weather.
The event takes place on top of the Arboretum Lane Parking Garage – view it on this map or No. 80 on this map.