The Leonids for Kids
Next peak · 17 nights to go
Night of 16–17 November 2026 · Moon 47% · So-so
A few, if you're lucky. Go out for twenty minutes and count.
Before midnight there are very few; an evening look might catch one or two.
The next Leonids peak is the night of 16–17 November 2026. A 47% Moon that sets before midnight, so the late hours are dark. Verdict: so-so. A few, if you're lucky. Go out for twenty minutes and count. At best a dark sky gives about 15 an hour, by the American Meteor Society's calendar; the Moon is from astronomy-engine.
The Leonids are shooting stars in November. They are very fast. Most come late at night, so they are a treat for an early morning.
The Leonids come from dust left by Comet Tempel-Tuttle. Earth crosses its trail every November. They are the fastest shooting stars, hitting the air at about 71 kilometers a second, and some leave a glowing trail that hangs for a moment.
Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle goes around the Sun every 33 years and leaves thin, dense streams behind. In most years the Leonids give about 15 an hour at best, but when Earth hits a fresh stream they can storm: in 1833 and 1966 people saw thousands an hour. No storm is expected in 2026.
In 1833 the Leonids were so many that people across North America woke their neighbours to watch.
Which way to look, and when
Leo rises in the east around midnight; the streaks point back to it.
Best in the last hours before dawn. Active 3 November to 2 December.
Where does it come from?
The Leonids are dust from Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. The bits hit the air at about 71 kilometers a second and glow as they burn up. The streaks seem to start from Leo, which is how the shower got its name.
Every peak in our table
| Night of 16–17 November 2026 | So-so. A 47% Moon that sets before midnight, so the late hours are dark. |
|---|---|
| Night of 17–18 November 2027 | Quiet. A bright 80% Moon up for much of the night washes out the faint ones. |
Some calendars give a peak one night either side; a shower is active for days around it, so the nights next to the peak are worth a look too.
How to watch
- Go out with a grown-up, dressed warmer than you think, with a blanket or a reclining chair.
- Put phones away and give your eyes twenty minutes to get used to the dark.
- Look up at the whole sky, not at one spot, and count every streak you see.
The shower night kit
One sheet to take outside: a box for every ten minutes, a line for the brightest one, and a tick for the clouds. Counting is the game.
The Leonids: my shower night
Peak: the night of 16–17 November 2026. Look up at the whole sky. The streaks point back to Leo. peabody.kids/space/showers/leonids
☐ Warm coat and hat ☐ Blanket or chair ☐ Grown-up ☐ Phones away for 20 minutes
| Ten minutes from | Shooting stars I counted (|||| ||) |
|---|---|
| ____ : ____ | |
| ____ : ____ | |
| ____ : ____ | |
| ____ : ____ | |
| ____ : ____ | |
| ____ : ____ |
The brightest one went from ________________ to ________________.
Clouds? ☐ none ☐ some ☐ lots · My total: ______
If the sky is clear. Peak night and rate: American Meteor Society; the Moon: astronomy-engine.
Other showers
“Don't look at one spot. Lie back and let your eyes take in the whole sky.”