The AP wrote the following today:

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The annual meteor shower usually delivers only a few visible meteors. But
hundreds per hour might be visible as they burn up in the atmosphere this
time, scientists say.

``Even with the full moon, this year's Leonids will probably be better than
any other for the next hundred years,'' Don Yeomans, an astronomer at NASA's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, said in a statement. ``If you're ever
going to see them, this might be the year to try.''

The shower is predicted to have two peaks, each a couple of hours long,
during which the most meteors can be seen, according to the lab.

The first peak is expected over Europe and Africa on Monday night, when
observers in North America might see a few meteors skimming the top of the
atmosphere, starting around 11:30 p.m. EST Monday.

The shower's second peak, most prominent in North American skies, is expected
at around 5:30 a.m. EST Tuesday. Even though the moonlight will wash out the
dimmest meteors, viewers in good locations will be able to see a few meteors
or more every minute.

Astronomers predict that the next occurrence of a Leonid storm even close to
this magnitude will be in 2099.

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A more detailed story is available at:

   http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/meteors/article_719_1.asp

Wirt Atmar

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