The Leonids meteor shower originates from a radiant point in the Leo constellation and takes place annually from November 14 to 21. These meteors are linked to the 33-year cycle of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, known for producing the fastest meteors entering the atmosphere at a speed of 72 km/s. The shower's intensity varies each year based on Earth's passage through the density of the comet's trail.

The Leonids are renowned for their periodic intense meteor storms, occurring roughly every 33 years. The significant meteor storm in November 1833, witnessed in the United States with an astonishing rate exceeding 200,000 meteors per hour, revolutionized the field of meteor astronomy. Prior to this event, meteors were perceived as atmospheric rather than astronomical occurrences. Another notable meteor storm took place in 1966 due to the comet's 1899 passage, with expectations of another powerful meteor storm in 2066.