Before 1000 AD, Chinese astronomers and observers in the Mediterranean area reported seeing a Leonid storm. It was said that stars fell like rain. When the famed astronomer Johannes Kepler died on November 15, 1630, a grand Leonid display on the day of his funeral was considered a tribute from God. Meteors remained a scientific puzzle, which startled many, until the renowned German scientist Humboldt recorded the 1799 event and informed the scientific community. After that, even though observers were somewhat familiar with Leonids because of Humboldt's publications, they were not prepared for the intensity of the spectacle of 1833.
During the hours following sunset on November 12, astronomers noted an unusual number of meteors in the sky, but the early morning hours of the 13th left the greatest impression on people of eastern North America. In the 4 hours, which preceded dawn, the skies were lit up by meteors.
Reactions to the display varied. Hysterics claimed Judgment Day was at hand (Rev 6:13 "the stars in the sky fell to earth"). For some, it simply proved exciting. Almost no one was left unaware of the happening. If they were not awakened by the shouts of excited neighbors, they were awakened by flashes of light in their normally dark bedrooms.
After that spectacular showing, no grand event followed for many decades. Leonids, more or less, fell out of interest.
To demonstrate they could still put on a show, Leonid rates of more than 50 per hour were observed in Texas in 1961 on the mornings of November 16 and 17. And in 1965, Hawaii and Australia saw hourly rates of 120 meteors on November 16. It was the buildup to a peak event in 1966.
A tremendous storm of tens of thousands of Leonids fell for a short interval timed by skywatchers in the central and western United States on November 17, 1966. This display probably rivaled the historic shower of 1833. Within just 2 hours observed rates increased from about 40 per hour to flurries of as much as 40 per second!
Local observers recount, "We saw a rain of meteors turn into a hail of meteors too numerous to count." --[San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California]. "The meteors were so intense that we were guessing how many could be seen in a one-second sweep of the observer's head. A rate of about 150,000 per hour was seen for about 20 minutes."--[Kitt Peak in Southern Arizona].
It was a night to remember in California and Arizona.
From 1970 to 1998, the Leonids laid low again. Then, in 1998, during the night of November 16-17, observers all over the world were greeted by numerous fireballs and long lasting persistent trains. And again, in 2001, a spectacular storm was viewed by millions of people all over the US. The display began on Sunday morning, November 18. Thousands of meteors per hour rained over North America and Hawaii. It had been a perfect moonless weekend night.
Twice in this blog I've touched upon the zodiac figure of Leo, the "source" of the Leonids. April 23, 2012 explains how Chaucer uses the 3 prominent stars in Leo to depict a lion in the guise of the Monk. And the entry of July 19, 2014 pursues details of how Chaucer parallels the churchman with that of the celestial lion and its heavenly surroundings.
In the 2014 entry, I saved the most spectacular feature for last. I am confident that in Chaucer's lifetime (1340-1400) he experienced a grand Leonid display. First, he translates this visual phenomenon to an audible one. To identify the time as November, the Monk rides "in a whistling wind" while "men might hear his bridle jingling." Unable to give the spectacle only one mention, the poet points to it a second time. This time he addresses the Pilgrim figure regarding what is both a visual and audible array: the "clinking of your bells, / That on your bridle hang on every side." This splendid portrait of Leo is enhanced by a great number of "bells."
Such an extravagant portrayal and how entertaining! Chaucer's creativity never falters.
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