Leonid Meteor Shower to Light Up the Sky This Weekend
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One of the year's most active meteor showers will begin this weekend and light up the night sky.
The Leonid meteor shower is known for its bright and fast meteors. It is called "prolific" because it produces many meteors.
A meteor shower happens when small pieces of space rock enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up. This creates bright streaks of light, often called shooting stars.
The Leonids will start this weekend and continue until the end of November. This gives people several weeks to try to see them.
To watch the shower, people do not need a telescope or any special equipment. They simply need to find a dark place and look up at the sky.
The best time to see meteors is usually late at night, when the sky is darkest and clearest. Light from cities can make it harder to see the meteors, so people often travel to the countryside.
Because the Leonids are known for being especially bright and fast, many stargazers and astronomy fans look forward to this shower every year.
Weather conditions, such as clear skies, will affect how well people can see the shower this weekend.
Vocabulary5 words
- meteor shower
- an event when many small pieces of rock burn in the sky and make bright lights
- Leonid
- the name of this particular meteor shower
- atmosphere
- the layer of air around the Earth
- shooting stars
- another name for the bright lights made by meteors
- stargazers
- people who like to look at the sky and stars
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Quiz
Answer key
1. It produces many meteors 2. This weekend until the end of November 3. No special equipment
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
One of the year's most active meteor showers will begin this _____ and light up the night sky.
The Leonid meteor shower is known for its bright and fast _____. It is called "prolific" because it produces many meteors.
A meteor shower happens when small pieces of space rock enter Earth's _____ and burn up. This creates bright streaks of light, often called _____.
The Leonids will start this weekend and continue until the end of _____.
To watch the shower, people do not need a _____ or any special equipment.
The best time to see meteors is usually late at _____, when the sky is darkest and clearest.
Because the Leonids are known for being especially bright and fast, many _____ and astronomy fans look forward to this shower every year.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever seen a meteor shower? What was it like?
- Why do you think dark places are better for watching meteors?
- Would you travel somewhere to see a meteor shower? Why or why not?
- What other natural events in the sky do you find interesting?
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