Look up! The Leonid meteor shower is coming

The Leonid meteor shower is set to grace Malaysian skies next week, offering an opportunity for stargazers to witness the spectacle of shooting stars. The Malaysian Space Agency predicts around 15 meteors per hour under optimal conditions, peaking on the night of November 17 into early hours of November 18.

This meteor shower is active from November 6-30 and can be seen from both hemispheres. Malaysian skywatchers are particularly fortunate this year due to the moon setting at around 1.23am, leaving darker skies for better visibility of the fainter meteors.

Despite the name suggesting a cosmic event, meteor showers are not about stars falling from the sky. Rather, the Leonids occur when Earth passes through debris left behind by comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. Tiny particles entering our atmosphere create bright streaks as they burn up. The shower gets its name from the constellation Leo, from which the meteors seem to radiate, though they can appear anywhere in the sky.

Traveling at a speed of approximately 260,000 kilometers per hour, some Leonid meteors leave glowing trails that persist for a brief moment after the meteor itself has disappeared. To maximize your chances of spotting a meteor, patience and darkness are key. Optimal viewing conditions involve minimal light pollution, giving your eyes about 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness.

For Malaysian observers, the hours after 1.23am on November 18 are expected to offer particularly favorable viewing conditions, though cloud cover and light pollution may still impact the viewing experience. While the "15 meteors an hour" figure assumes favorable conditions, actual numbers may vary, especially for those observing from urban areas. Despite this, the Leonid meteor shower promises a spectacular display, and setting an alarm to get away from city lights could be well worth the early morning loss of sleep.