Explanation:
In 1999, Leonids Meteor Shower came to an impressive crescendo.
Observers in Europe saw a
sharp peak in the number of
meteors visible around 0210
UTC
during the early morning hours of November 18.
Meteor counts then exceeded 1000 per hour - the minimum needed to define a
true meteor storm.
At other times and from other locations around the world, observers
typically reported
respectable rates of between 30 and 100
meteors per hour.
This photograph is a 20-minute exposure ending just
before the main Leonids peak began.
Visible are at least five
Leonidmeteors
streaking high above the Torre de la Guaita,
an observation tower used during the 12th century in
Girona,
Spain.
Over the next few nights, the
Geminids
are expected to put on the best
meteor show of this year.
