Leonid dust trail positions in 2001

The lunar phase (nearly new) will be perfect and the encounter with the 1866 trail, reinforced by the presence of the 1699 trail, should produce the most spectacular display during the various years around the current return of Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. The meteor storm will be visible from East Asia, Australia and the western Pacific. The secondary peak, due to the 1767 trail, will be visible from the Americas. These encounters are a day or so after the Earth passes through the comet's orbital plane. A fuller explanation of these trail cross section plots is available. Go to Armagh Observatory Leonid page.

Last Revised: 2009 November 10th