Every November brings lovers of the night sky one of the most famous meteor showers of the year – the Leonids. This year, the swarm is active from November 6 to 30, 2026, and its maximum occurs on the night of November 17-18. The International Meteorological Organization (IMO) determined the regular maximum for November 17 at 11:45 p.m. world time, which in our country corresponds to November 18 at 0:45 a.m. CET.
However, the Leonids are not just entertainment for astronomers. For radio amateurs on VHF pásmach je to každoročná príležitosť vyskúšať meteor scatter and establish connections over hundreds of kilometers thanks to short ionized meteor trails.
You will read in the article
How many meteors can we expect?
According to the IMO calendar for 2026, the zenith hourly frequency (ZHR) reaches about 15 meteors per hour. An alternative model of the Russian astronomer Mikhail Maslov indicates the peak as early as November 17 at 4:00 p.m. world time, i.e. during the day, with the same frequency. Therefore, it makes sense to watch both nights, from November 16 to 17 and from November 17 to 18.
ZHR is a standardized value for the radiant at the zenith and a perfectly dark sky with stars up to magnitude 6.5. So you will see less in practice. Under the dark rural sky, you can count on roughly half, that is, about 10 meteors per hour. You will only catch a few of the brightest ones from the city.
The good news is the Moon. The first quarter will occur on November 17 at 12:48 CET, and at the time of maximum the Moon will be illuminated to about 55%. However, it will set before midnight, in Bratislava around 11:25 p.m. and in Košice around 11:05 p.m. CET. The second half of the night will be without moonlight.
When is the best time?
The Radiant Swarm lies in the constellation Leo, in a formation called the Sickle above the bright star Regulus. In Slovakia, it rises around 11 p.m. and rises high above the southeastern horizon by morning. At the time of the maximum it is about 20° above the horizon in Bratislava, at 2:00 a.m. around 34° and at 4:00 a.m. already more than 50°. The astronomical night ends on November 18 around 5:15 a.m. CET. The most productive window lasts roughly from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.
Attention to one practical detail: the night of the maximum falls on the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, and November 17 is no longer a day of rest.
Video: What is a meteor shower?
Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle and a speed of 71 km/s
The origin of the Leonids is the periodic comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, which orbits the Sun once every 33 years or so. It bears the names of astronomers Wilhelm Tempel and Horace Tuttle, who independently discovered it in the 19th century. Every year in mid-November, the Earth passes through the stream of dust left by the comet in its path and meets it almost head-on.
Therefore, the Leonids are among the fastest meteor showers. Particles enter the atmosphere at a speed of approximately 71 km/s. Meteors are short, sharp, often white to bluish-white, and some of them leave traces visible for several seconds. A population index of r = 2.5, according to the IMO, means that the shower contains quite a few brighter meteors.
The Leonids are also known for historic meteor storms. On the night of November 12-13, 1833, tens of thousands of meteors per hour flooded the sky over North America. This event is considered the beginning of modern meteor astronomy. Estimates vary: astro.sk reports around 35,000 meteors per hour, ESA more than 100,000. The years 1966, 1999 and 2001 also brought significant storms. No storm is expected for 2026. The comet will not pass perihelion until May 20, 2031, and models for this year show only marginal encounters with sparse dust filaments.
The IMO calendar also mentions one such meeting for Central Europe. It falls on November 19 between approximately 4:30 a.m. and 4:50 a.m. CET, when the radiant is high above the horizon. However, the models do not predict a more significant burst of activity.
Video: Leonids 2025
What last year's Leonids looked like is shown by the AI4QT record from the night of November 17-18, 2025.
Leonidy na VHF: meteor scatter
Pri vstupe meteoroidov do atmosféry vznikajú krátkodobé ionizované stopy. Od nich sa odráža VHF signál, čo umožňuje meteor scatter (MS) spojenia na vzdialenosti stoviek až tisícov kilometrov. Táto forma šírenia sa stala obľúbenou najmä vďaka programu WSJT od Joea Taylora a dnes sa najčastejšie používa mód MSK144.
Most of the work is done with the help of a computer, but better equipped stations can also handle MS connections in CW and SSB.
Where behind the dark sky?
You don't need binoculars or a telescope for observation, their field of view is too small. A dark place away from city lighting with an unobstructed view to the east and southeast is enough. The dark sky parks offer the best conditions:
- Poloniny in the north-east, announced in 2010, with the Astronomical Observatory on Kolonicé sedlo,
- Veľká Fatra near the Kráľová studni at an altitude of over 1,300 m above sea level. m., often above the November inversion fog layer,
- Muránska plain, announced on May 3, 2024.
Outside of parks, any place at least 20 to 30 km from a larger city, without direct lights, will do. It is best to observe lying down, looking about 40° to 50° from the radiant, because meteors appear all over the sky. Give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to get used to the dark and use red light or night mode instead of the white light of your mobile phone.
Warm clothes and weather forecast
November nights are long and cold, and the temperature often drops below freezing in the mountains. Take layered clothing, hat, gloves, mat and sleeping bag. There is a risk of hypothermia if you lie still for a long time, so don't forget a warm drink in a thermos.
The biggest unknown is the weather. November brings low clouds and fog in the basins. However, during a temperature inversion, the ridges are often clear, so higher elevations have an advantage. Before leaving, check the SHMÚ short-term forecast and satellite cloud images.
Ak noc maxima nevyjde, nevešajte hlavu. Roj je aktívny až do 30. novembra a v decembri nás čakajú Geminidy. Prajeme vám jasnú oblohu, veľa padajúcich hviezd a množstvo úspešných meteor scatter spojení!