TORONTO, Wednesday November 7, 2018 – If you missed the meteor showers in October, there is another chance to catch sight of them in November at York University when the Leonid meteor shower will light up the night sky.

The Leonid meteor shower can be viewed for free by the public at York University on the first clear weeknight of the week starting Monday, Nov. 12 to Friday, Nov. 16, from 7:30 to 9:30pm.

Check the weather reports for updates, which will be posted by 4pm on the Allan I. Carswell Observatory twitter page @yorkobservatory or Facebook page, to see if the telescopes will be set up for viewing that evening.

The Leonid meteors arise from the debris of Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle and seem to originate from the constellation Leo. There are usually about 15 meteors per hour with speeds up to 72 km per second.

“The Leonids are comparable to the Orionids and can produce some bright meteors or bolides,” says University Professor Paul Delaney of the Faculty of Science. “Two notable displays in 1833 and 1966 were simply stunning in their intensity.

In addition to the meteor viewing, there will be a constellation tour and general telescope observing of the night sky. As the event takes place outdoors, be sure to dress for the weather.

WHAT: Leonid meteor shower with free public viewing. The Allan I. Carswell Observatory team in the Faculty of Science will be on hand to explain what people are seeing.

WHEN: The first clear weeknight during the week between Nov. 12 to 16. Check social media for weather posting to see if the telescopes will be set up.

WHERE: On the top of the Arboretum Lane Parking Garage – see Map or number 80 on this Map

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Media contact: Yanni Dagonas, York University Media Relations, 647-468-7850, yannidag@yorku.ca