After Monday's Supermoon, which was the closest full moon since 1948, we expect at least one more astronomical phenomenon in November. The Leonids are a popular meteor shower suitable for amateur radio communications. The swarm is active from November 10 to 23, 2016 with a predicted maximum of November 17. However, this figure will still be refined. The most convenient connection times for these directions are: SW - NE: 01 - 05 UTC, E - W: 04 - 07 UTC, SE - NW: 06 -10 UTC and S - S: 23 - 04 and 07 - 11 UTC.
Behind the essence of this meteoric swarm is the wonderful interplay of the universe. Every 33 years, Comet Tempel-Tuttle comes close to the Sun, and the radiation releases a lot of cometary material, mainly dust, from its surface into the surrounding space. If it gets close to the Earth, the gravitational field will take care of capturing and pulling it, which will cause a unique meteor shower.
In the search for the history of the Leonids, we reach the year 902. The first scientific report was prepared in 1799 by the famous naturalist Alexander von Humboldt during an expedition in the Orinoco river basin. The most amazing experience, however, was prepared by the Leonids in 1966 again over North America. At its peak, the frequency of up to 100,000 meteorites per hour was recorded! According to eyewitnesses, meteors literally rained from the sky.