Leonids: Lightning meteors pass in November

In the second half of November the Leonids fall into the Earth’s atmosphere at about 70 km/s each year.

It is 200 times faster than a rifle bullet, making this the fastest meteor shower to hit Earth on a regular basis.

The fireballs are brighter than anything in the night sky except the moon. The light is created when meteors heat the air around them, and depending on the composition of the gases in the air, the light can be green or bluish.

The Leonids are the remnants of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, which visits the inner solar system, including Earth, every 33 years. The next time, in 2031, there is likely to be a very heavy meteor shower.