Sky fireworks
begin late tonight

Leonid meteor
shower set to stage
stunning isle show

Star-Bulletin staff

Islanders may be treated to a spectacular sky show from the Leonid meteor shower tomorrow.

The Bishop Museum's Center for Space Education has gotten many calls from people asking about the shower, which occurs when Earth plows through debris left by comet P/Tempel-Tuttle each year.

There will be an increase in meteors from 2 a.m. to sunrise tomorrow -- probably about 100 per hour instead of the 40 per hour in a typical-year Leonid shower, the Bishop Museum's Ken Miller has said.

A study of Leonid meteor showers since the year 902 shows they vary greatly, with the strongest intensity every 33.1 years, Miller has said.

This year, scientists believe Earth will enter the heaviest concentration of space debris when China is pointed toward it.

People there could see as many as 10,000 meteors per hour, astronomers say.

But if Earth's passage through the swarm is a few hours earlier than predicted, "Hawaii could be heading straight into the swarm," said Miller.

He advises scanning the sky's breadth without using binoculars or telescopes.

When to watch Hawaii residents will be treated to a spectacular sky show as the Earth plows through debris from the comet P/Tempel-Tuttle, says the Bishop Museum's Ken Miller: When: 2 a.m. to sunrise tomorrow. What a show: Miller says you can expect to see about 100 meteors per hour instead of the 40 per hour in a typical Leonid shower. Did you know? People in China could see as many as 10,000 meteors per hour.