Leonid meteor shower... Yawn, is it time yet?
(Read article summary)The Leonid meteor shower gets underway at 3:30am
Hold it, didn't we just get done with some meteor showers?
If you've got a feeling of Deja Vu all over again (H.T. Yogi Berra), it's because we had the Perseids meteor shower in August and the Orionids meteor shower in October. Early Tuesday morning, it's the Leonid meteor shower.
Those who aren't really enthusiasts of this type of thing might wonder if we really need another one. After all, on a warm summer evening or a chilly fall night, the idea of staying up late to watch a meteor shower sounds adventurous -- even romantic.
You know, bring some hot chocolate, get a sleeping bag, and cuddle up with that special someone to watch the cosmic light show.
But, once the temperatures plunge below freezing, the romance -- to some -- loses its luster. Why set your alarm for 3:30 in the morning to see some gravel falling from the sky, when you could be in a nice warm bed?
To meteor shower enthusiasts, that type of attitude is heresy. Even if it's snowing you should stay up, they say.
Tonight, tonight, tonight
If you fall into the latter category, you've got a chance to prove your mettle tonight. Although, most of the US should be free from snow, it's going to be below freezing in many locations.
No matter say the diehards. It'll still be a good show. Despite NASA's prediction that you may only see 20 - 30 meteors per hour (unlike the 55 per hour during the Orionids), you'll get to see something pretty weird. It'll look like the Leonid "shooting stars" are splurting out from the planet Mars.
