The peak of the Leonid Meteor Shower will be tomorrow on the night of November 17/18, 2010. However, despite the fact that peak doesn’t occur until tomorrow doesn’t mean that meteors will wait until then to start streaking through the sky.

Traditionally, the Leonids are a major meteor shower, where one can expect to see, according to some estimates, 20-30 meteors per hour. The best time to view is in the pre-dawn hours as Leo is at its highest point in the sky at this time, look in the Southeast.. To improve odds of seeing meteors, travel out of light-polluted Cleveland and to the suburbs or, even better, the country if you can. In the suburbs, just going from the front to back yard can make a dramatic difference, too.

So how about more viewing tips?

First, plan to stay out awhile, as it takes the human eye about 15 minutes to get optimal night vision capability. The bad news is that, even one bright flash of white light will wipe out night vision, requiring you to start the process all over again. Next, grab a lawn chair or, even better, a lounge-type chair. Trying to lean back with a straight-back lawn chair can be a pain in the neck, literally! Eyes ready for dark and with something to sit/lay on, settle in for a night of hopeful meteor watching (or at the very least, stargazing), just try not to fall asleep and don’t forget to dress warmly!

Besides meteors, tonight can be a great time for binocular viewing, owing to your use of a chair. Under suburban (maybe) or rural skies (definitely), a pair of medium power (10×50) binoculars can yield some stunning wide-angle sights. For someone truly dedicated, why not try and keep a tally of how many meteors you see for every complete hour? Really ambitious? Why not try photographing the meteors?

Two things can ruin the show: clouds and the Moon. Fortunately, the Moon is going to be a waxing crescent at the time of the Leonids, which means that nature’s night light is out of the way.

As for clouds, the Cleveland area weather forecast is looking very iffy for the next week. So, for an even more up-to date, hour-by-hour forecast, check out the Cleveland Clear Sky Clock to see what the night will bring. Live somewhere else? Find a clock near you.

Good luck and clear skies to all.

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Article source: http://www.examiner.com/article/leonid-meteor-shower-peaks-tomorrow-get-viewing-tips-now-1