The moon, which stole the spotlight this year with the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission in July and October's rendezvous with the water-seeking LCROSS satellite, is getting out of the way this month. The night of Nov. 16 will appear moonless in time for the Leonids, slated to be one of the year's best meteor showers when it peaks the night of Nov. 17 through the morning of Nov. 18. The new moon will render even the faintest meteors visible. The peak is expected to bring up to 500 meteors an hour when Earth passes near the center of dense debris streams left in 1466 and 1533 by the comet Tempel-Tuttle, which orbits the sun once every 33 years.

The night of Nov. 16 will appear moonless in time for the Leonids, slated to be one of the year's best meteor showers when it peaks the night of Nov. 17 through the morning of Nov. 18. The new moon will render even the faintest meteors visible. The peak is expected to bring up to 500 meteors an hour when Earth passes near the center of dense debris streams left in 1466 and 1533 by the comet Tempel-Tuttle, which orbits the sun once every 33 years. The actual peak is calculated to occur at 4:40 p.m. EDT on Nov. 17, favoring observers in Asia, but viewers in North America should still be dazzled when darkness falls here and the radiant, in the constellation Leo, emerges from the eastern horizon just after midnight.

The actual peak is calculated to occur at 4:40 p.m. EDT on Nov. 17, favoring observers in Asia, but viewers in North America should still be dazzled when darkness falls here and the radiant, in the constellation Leo, emerges from the eastern horizon just after midnight. The Leonids have a strong historical presence. Viewers of the 1833 shower saw 70,000 to 200,000 meteors an hour, making it one of the greatest meteor showers in recorded history. People thought the stars were falling from the sky, the Apocalypse had arrived or perhaps Judgment Day itself. Atheists converted. Impromptu prayer groups met.

The Leonids have a strong historical presence. Viewers of the 1833 shower saw 70,000 to 200,000 meteors an hour, making it one of the greatest meteor showers in recorded history. People thought the stars were falling from the sky, the Apocalypse had arrived or perhaps Judgment Day itself. Atheists converted. Impromptu prayer groups met. Elder Samuel Rogers, a traveling preacher, author and first-hand witness that night, wrote, "Imagine large snowflakes drifting over your head, so near you that you can distinguish them, one from the other, and yet so thick in the air as to almost obscure the sky; then imagine each snowflake to be a meteor, leaving behind it a tail like a little comet; these meteors of all sizes, from that of a drop of water to that of a great star, having the size of the full moon in appearance: and you may then have some faint idea of this wonderful scene."

Elder Samuel Rogers, a traveling preacher, author and first-hand witness that night, wrote, "Imagine large snowflakes drifting over your head, so near you that you can distinguish them, one from the other, and yet so thick in the air as to almost obscure the sky; then imagine each snowflake to be a meteor, leaving behind it a tail like a little comet; these meteors of all sizes, from that of a drop of water to that of a great star, having the size of the full moon in appearance: and you may then have some faint idea of this wonderful scene."In 1878, historian Richard Miller Devens named the 1833 storm one of the 100 most memorable events in United States history, partly because it prompted the study of meteor showers in a scientific, rather than mystical, light.

In 1878, historian Richard Miller Devens named the 1833 storm one of the 100 most memorable events in United States history, partly because it prompted the study of meteor showers in a scientific, rather than mystical, light. The 1833 storm - and a similarly impressive Leonid storm some readers may remember in 1966 - may seem to dwarf 2009's, but since most Leonid showers produce only 20 or so meteors an hour, this year should be one to remember. It's been about a decade since the last remarkable Leonid showers in 1999 and 2001, which yielded above-average meteor counts.

The 1833 storm - and a similarly impressive Leonid storm some readers may remember in 1966 - may seem to dwarf 2009's, but since most Leonid showers produce only 20 or so meteors an hour, this year should be one to remember. It's been about a decade since the last remarkable Leonid showers in 1999 and 2001, which yielded above-average meteor counts.On Nov. 17, 2002, three friends and I left our cozy UConn dorms and took a spontaneous late-night road trip to the shore in search of a show. The four of us wrapped ourselves in blankets and waited, necks craned skyward. One meteor, then another, darted across the sky. A few minutes went by. Another meteor. As the night passed, we witnessed a disappointing turnout - a handful of breathtaking shooting stars, but not the literal Leonid shower we had hoped for.

On Nov. 17, 2002, three friends and I left our cozy UConn dorms and took a spontaneous late-night road trip to the shore in search of a show. The four of us wrapped ourselves in blankets and waited, necks craned skyward. One meteor, then another, darted across the sky. A few minutes went by. Another meteor. As the night passed, we witnessed a disappointing turnout - a handful of breathtaking shooting stars, but not the literal Leonid shower we had hoped for. Even though one shooting star can be enough to make the night worth it, maybe this year will make up for the tamer shows of recent Novembers.

Even though one shooting star can be enough to make the night worth it, maybe this year will make up for the tamer shows of recent Novembers.

This is the opinion of Melissa Babcock.

SKY CALENDAR

Nov. 1 – Daylight saving time ends, resulting in darker skies earlier.

Nov. 2 – Full moon.

Nov. 12 – Waning crescent moon to right of Saturn low in the east before dawn.

Nov. 14 – Waning crescent moon above right of Venus low in east before dawn.

Nov. 16 – New moon.

Nov. 23 – Waxing crescent moon below Jupiter in the south at dusk.