UPDATE 11.16.09 – Peak viewing hours will be during the wee hours of Tuesday morning (Nov. 17*) from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m.

The Clear Sky Chart Homepage will be your best friend during this year’s shower.

Check the Connecticut Star Party for specific information and here’s a comprehensive list of viewing spots in Conn. (with light pollution data). Check Hartford here. If you’re curious about how to read the chart, blue blocks indicate good conditions and white means it will be cloudy.

NASA’s Fluxtimator gives good general estimates of anticipated shower rates, but doesn’t have a preset Connecticut option. But it’s called the ‘Fluxtimator,’ so I had to link it.

The Leonids generally begin on Nov. 13 and run until Nov. 21, with peak periods on Nov. 17 and Nov. 18. You won’t need a telescope or binoculars, just look up.

Weather is supposed to be good, but you can check specific cloud forecasts here.

What do the light pollution levels mean? Check. It.

If you don’t see any meteors right away, don’t get frustrated. Relax. Get your head in a comfortable position and wait for those really big ones that leave the fading trails. Cool.

Finally, here’s an Atomic Age song about Shooting Stars to get you in the mood. (Note if you get a ‘forbidden’ message, just highlight your address bar and hit enter so the page reloads.)

Enjoy the shower! It’s supposed to be one of the best in recent memory.

*For some reason I was thinking the peak morning was Nov. 18. Whoops! It’s not. It’s the 17th. Although the shower lasts for several days, so you’re still likely to see shooting stars Tuesday night/Wednesday morning.