If you're looking for an old episode or a schedule of upcoming lessons, please visit our archive . Content and design by Bishop Web Works . Meteor Mysteries Leonids in history. How to observe the shower. No matter where you live, the best time to watch for Leonid meteors will probably be between midnight and dawn on November 18, 1999.
Astronomers use a special trick to keep bright flashlights from ruining their night vision.
They put red cellophane over the lens so that the light is dim and red. The first quarter moon on November 18 will set near midnight providing dark skies for an early morning meteor shower. It may be possible to observe Leonid meteorite impacts on the moon before midnight. Fireballs are very bright meteors that can cast shadows on the ground. Some scientists think it might be possible to observe visual flashes as Leonids crash into the moon's surface.