{
  "id": 20083554,
  "title": "Look up! The Leonid meteor shower is coming",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/look-up-the-leonid-meteor-shower-is-coming",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-14T23:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2026/11/15/look-up-the-leonid-meteor-shower-is-coming"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nThis 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.\n\nDespite 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.\n\nTraveling 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.\n\nFor 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.",
  "summary": "With up to 15 meteors an hour possibly visible around Nov 17-18, Malaysians willing to stay up late could have a particularly good view after the moon sets.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Euro Weekly News",
        "title": "Leonid meteor shower returns to Spain with its best display of shooting stars",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/leonid-meteor-shower-returns-to-spain-with-its-best-display-of",
        "published": "2026-11-14T23:12:50.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}