The most amazing Leonid meteor shower photos

The Leonid meteor shower is one of nature's most amazing celestial sights. Each year in mid-November, the Earth passes through a trail of dusty debris from Comet Tempel-Tuttle, resulting in dazzling meteors for skywatchers on Earth. 

In 2020, the Leonid meteor shower will peak overnight on Nov. 16-17 and observers with dark skies, away from city lights, could see between 10 and 15 meteors per hour.  To prepare for the Leonids, take a look here at some of the most amazing Leonid meteors of all time. 

Leonid meteor shower 2020: When, where & how to see it

Editor's note: This feature was updated Nov. 11, 2020.

Stunning 1998 Leonid Fireball

Italian astrophotographer Lorenzo Lovato photographed this spectacular fireball from the 1998 Leonid meteor shower on Nov. 17, 1998.

Leonid Meteor Shower 2001: Chris Gruhusko

Photographer Chris Gruhusko captured this view of the Leonid meteor shower in November 2001 over the north face of Wind Mountain in the Cornudas Mountain of Southern New Mexico.

2011 Leonid Meteor Shower

This fireball was captured on Nov. 10, 2011 during the 2011 Leonid meteor shower. This false light image was taken using the All Sky Sentinel camera at the Sandia National Laboratories in Sonora, Mexico.

Leonid Meteor Storm of 1999

NASA's Leonid Multi-Instrument Aircraft Campaign captured this image during the 1999 Leonid meteor storm. The photo was taken with a 28 mm camera.

2002 Leonid Meteor Shower

This image was taken by skywatcher Tyson Hofsommer from Kansas City during the 2002 Leonid meteor shower.

2011 Leonid Meteor Shower Peak

This image, from skywatcher Salvador Aguirre, was taken using the All Sky Sentinel camera at the Sandia National Laboratories in Sonora, Mexico during the peak of the 2011 Leonid meteor shower.

A Storm of Meteors in 1999

This image was taken during the 1999 Leonid meteor storm as part of NASA's Leonid Multi-Instrument Aircraft Campaign (Leonid MAC). The image was captured with a 28 mm camera.

Leonid Meteor Shower 2005

This image was taken early in the morning on Nov. 19, 2005 by a skywatcher from the U.K.

Paul Miller

Skywatcher Paul Miller took this photo during the 2002 Leonid meteor shower over Santee, California.

2001 Leonid Meteor Shower from South Korea

French skywatcher Jeremie Vaubaillon captured this image during the 2001 Leonid meteor shower from South Korea.

Dazzling Leonid Meteors from November 2001

This image is a composition of 33 Leonids captured overnight from Nov. 18 to 19, 2001.