The oldest things in our solar system are meteors , comets and asteroids. In a way, they are the debris of the solar system. Leftover rock and ices that did not go into making planets, they were left, not to become worlds, but to orbit the sun, some near, some from the farthest outreaches of the solar system. But sometimes, they make a name for themselves nonetheless. One well known recent chunk of rock and ice was known as Comet Hale Bopp. Meteors are more common, the Pleiades meteor is one of the best known. Not as well know, but more exciting, is the Leonid shower and this year it could be very memorable.

      Meteor shower happen when the Earth's orbit crosses the old orbit of a comet Sometimes the comet breaks up and the leftover debris litters the orbit and we see a meteor shower each year when we pass through it. Sometimes the comet just "sheds" some debris and the comet remains. There is at least one shower associated with Comet Halley.
 
      November's Leonid shower is associated with a small dim comet called Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. This comet has a small orbit and comes around once every 33.2 years. We see the Leonid meteor shower every November, but near the approach of the comet, the shower gets very active. The comet is approaching (but it will only be able to be seen in telescopes) and there is an excellent chance that this year or next year we may see a Leonid meteor storm!

     Normally only about 20 Leonid meteors are visible per hour during its November shower. Hourly rates have been increasing over the past few years. 2 years ago the rate was 40 per hour. Last year it was 60 to 80 per hour, and up to 100 during the shower's peak. This year should exceed those numbers. In a meteor storm, the numbers could reach 80 or more per minute!

      What actually happens is that meteoroids which break off of a comet form a sheet in the comets orbital plane. They are concentrated most heaviest near the comet itself, and that is why the Leonids have a cycle that peaks when the comet comes into the inner solar system in its journey around the sun. We see these comet pieces as meteors when they enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up. Many are as small as a grain of sand and don't even come close to hitting the surface.
 
      This year Earth crosses the comet's orbital plane on November 17th at about 7:40 AM EST. Obviously, it will be daylight then, but the night before and the night of the 17th could be prime time for a storm. There is no way to predict exactly when a storm could happen, the peak itself could actually occur next year. Also, a storm would likely last only an hour or so, therefore your odds of seeing it are increased by how long you stay out to watch. The moon too is just passed full and will hinder seeing the dimmer meteors. Still, it would be worthwhile to take a look, you could get lucky. Meteor activity picks up after midnight when the Earth is turned into the direction of the meteors. Look high in the eastern sky but let your eyes wander casually, they will pick up motion easier. Happy Hunting!