Space.com) -- The annual Leonid meteor shower could produce a strong
outburst this weekend for residents of eastern North America and
Western Europe.

A brief surge of activity is expected begin around 11:45 p.m. ET
Saturday, November 18. In Europe, that corresponds to early Sunday
morning, November 19 at 4:45 GMT. The outburst could last up to two
hours.

At the peak, people in these favorable locations could see up to 150
shooting stars per hour, or more than two per minute.

"We expect an outburst of more than 100 Leonids per hour," said Bill
Cooke, the head of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. Cooke notes
that the shooting stars during this peak period are likely to be faint,
however, created by very small meteoroid grains. (I-Report: Send us
your Leonid photos)

Elsewhere people will see the typically enjoyable Leonid display of a
few meteors each hour, weather permitting and assuming dark skies away
from city lights.
Ancient debris

The Leonids are bits of debris left behind by repeated passages through
the inner solar system of the comet Tempel-Tuttle. Each November, Earth
crosses various trails of debris, which have spread out over centuries
and millennia. Dense debris trails have caused incredible meteor storms
in years, past, notably 1998 through 2002.

Since then the show has been back to normal. But recent computer
modeling suggests a brief outburst.

"For parts of Europe, Africa and eastern North America, a far more
prolific Leonid show could be in the offing this year," said Joe Rao,
Space.com's Skywatching Columnist.

This year is not expected to be as memorable as some but well worth a
look, astronomers say. The Leonids are known for producing bright
fireballs, which could occur at any time.

The Leonids are so-named because they appear to emanate from Leo. The
meteors can race across the sky in any direction, but trace each one
back and it'll point to Leo.
Other opportunities

Unfortunately for viewers on the U.S. West Coast, the peak occurs
before Leo rises. Outside of the expected peak, the best time to watch
for Leonids is in the pre-dawn hours, when the constellation Leo is
high in the sky.

The Leonids are actually underway already, ramping up gradually to the
peak. The event continues for several days after the peak. So any
morning during this time could offer up a handful of meteors each hour.
Other shooting stars from other sources typically grace the sky at low
rates, too.

Flurries of enhanced activity can come at any time. Cooke suggests
taking a look in the pre-dawn hours Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Up to
10 shooting stars per hour are possible any of these mornings.
How to watch

Precise prediction of meteor showers is an infant science, so those in
position to observe the possible outburst should plan to head out a
half-hour before the predicted peak, allowing eyes time to adjust to
the dark, and stay out for up to a half hour after the expected peak.

No special equipment is needed. Telescopes and binoculars are of no
use.

A lounge chair or blanket and warm clothes are all you need [meteor
watching tips]. Find a dark location with a clear view of the Eastern
horizon. Lie back, face East, and scan as much of the sky as you can .
You never know exactly where a Leonid will appear.