A tape recorder can also be helpful. If you have one, you can count meteors out loud and not use a notebook. Later, you can play back the tape and count the number of times you said you saw a shooting star. If you use a tape recorder, be sure to mention what time it is every ten minutes or so. No one knows if 1999 is the year for a big Leonids meteor storm.
Many experts think it is.
On November 18 you might see many shooting stars every second. You may see fireballs so bright that they make shadows on the ground. Or you might not see much at all. The unknown is part of the excitement.