Just days removed from seeing the northern lights in Iowa skies, Iowans could be treated to another galactic display.
The Leonids became active at the beginning of November and could give stargazers a chance to see meteors soon.
The annual Leonid shower produces a meteor storm every 33 years, according to NASA. Known for their fireballs, Leonids can create bright, colorful displays in the night sky if you catch them at just the right moment.
Catching them at the right time may be the hardest part. Leonids travel at speeds of 44 miles per second, according to NASA. Plus, the storm may not produce as many meteors as the typical storm. Both NASA and the American Meteor Society are forecasting this storm to produce fewer than three meteors per hour
The last Leonids meteor storm happened back in 2002.
With that, here’s what you should know about the upcoming celestial event.
When can you see the Leonids meteor shower in Iowa?
The Leonids have been active since Nov. 6 this year and will remain active until Nov. 30, according to the American Meteor Society.
The next peak time for the Leonids are the evening between Nov. 16 and 17.
What time is the meteor shower?
The best time to view the Leonid meteor shower in Iowa will be 12-5 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 17, according to timeanddate.com.
What’s the best way to see the Leonids meteor shower?
The best way to see the Leonids meteor shower, according to NASA, is to find an area without city or street lights.
You may need a sleeping bag, a blanket or a lawn chair. Position your body facing east while lying flat on your back and looking up at the sky.
Your eyes may need about 30 minutes to adapt to the dark environment, but you should begin to see meteors after that, according to NASA.
The best time to view the Leonids is after midnight, the American Meteor Society said.
What causes the Leonids meteor shower?
Meteors come from leftover comet particles and parts of broken asteroids, according to NASA. As comets get close to the sun, they release dust, which gradually forms a trail
The comet these meteors originate from is called the 55P/Tempel-Tuttle comet, which was independently discovered in 1865 and 1866 by Ernst Tempel and Horace Tuttle, respectively, according to NASA.
The Tempel-Tuttle comet takes 33 years to orbit the sun.
“When the comet returns in 2031 and 2064, there may not be any meteor storms, but perhaps several good displays of Leonids activity when rates are in excess of 100 per hour,” the American Meteor Society website says.
What's the cloud forecast for Iowa during the Leonids meteor shower?
Having a clear sky always helps when looking for meteor showers or any celestial event.
Iowans may need to try to catch the shower a night early to have clear skies. Skies should be fairly clear in the early morning hours on Sunday, Nov. 16.
Temperatures at 12 a.m. Sunday will be in the mid-40s to low-30s across the state, according to the National Weather Service.
Clouds will build during the day on Sunday, with skies expected to be about 30-60% cloud-covered across the state by 12 a.m. Monday.
Temperatures will be in the low-40s in southern and central Iowa and low-30s in northeast Iowa by 12 a.m. Monday, the weather service said.
What's the difference between a meteor shower and a meteor storm?
The American Meteor Society defines a meteor shower as a shower of meteors that happens when Earth's orbit enters the orbit of a meteor stream.
However, a meteor storm is defined by the American Meteor Society as "a rare event that occurs when Earth encounters closely grouped meteors within a meteor stream."
Meteor rates can exceed 1,000 per minute when meteor storms happen.