Today in the history of astronomy, one of the largest meteor storms in history rained down on North America.
This 25-minute display shows some of the thousands of Leonids that rained down on North American on the night of November 17, 1966. Credit: Tom Kirby and Tom Pope, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- On November 17, 1966, the Leonid meteor shower produced one of the most remarkable meteor displays in recorded history.
- Observers in North America recorded peak rates of thousands of meteors per minute, with Kitt Peak National Observatory reporting 40 meteors per second.
- This period of peak activity occurred around 12:00 a.m. Universal Time and lasted for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
- Due to the rate of over 1,000 meteors per hour, this event was formally classified as a true meteor storm.
On November 17, 1966, Leonids produced one of the greatest meteor shows in recorded history, during which witnesses reported that the sky was “raining stars.” Observers in North America saw peaks of thousands of meteors per minute; Kitt Peak National Observatory reported 40 meteorites per second. This peak occurred around 12:00 Universal Time and lasted for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Since the expected rate of 1,000 meteorites per hour was not only met but exceeded dozens of times, the event was firmly classified as a true meteor storm.
