The Leonid Meteor Shower will light up Michigan skies this weekend, if we're lucky.
In the early morning hours of Saturday and Sunday, the Leonid meteor shower will send shooting stars across the sky. But Saturday, about 3 a.m. ET, will have less moonlight obstructing the view of the meteors in the United States.
From Paul Gross: We may get some partial clearing Saturday night and, if we do and you happen to be up before dawn on Sunday morning, take a look at the annual Leonid Meteor Shower! Just face north or northwest and look up…there may be a dozen or so per hour!
Leonid Meteor Shower
The meteor shower gets its name from the constellation Leo, the Lion, as the meteors will be coming from the stars that make up the lion's mane. But you don't need to look in the direction of the constellation, because the meteors will appear all across the sky.
The bright meteors can also be colorful, and they're fast, moving at 44 miles per second -- among the fastest meteors. Fireballs and "earthgrazer" meteors are also a hallmark of the Leonid shower. Fireballs are brighter and larger and can last longer than the average meteor, while earthgrazers appear close to the horizon with long, colorful tails.
Be sure to check online to see when it will be visible in your part of the world.