It seems like this time of year is lousy with meteor showers, and the Leonid shower is probably the most notable of the bunch. The meteor shower will reach it's peak sometime around 3:00 AM (Eastern Time) with an expected frequency of 300-400 meteors per hour.
Our planet's orbit directly intersects with that of the Tempel-Tuttle comet in such a way that the comet's debris makes for a brilliant meteor display approximately every 33 years. The last time the comet passed us by was in 1998, which I imagine was a particularly good year for skygazing. Each subsequent year sees the Earth passing through the comet's debris trail, resulting in annual meteor showers.
As always, the meteor shower will be best viewed away from bright city lights, which means I might have to drive out to the surrounding farmlands if I want to catch a glimpse this year.
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