November 25, 1998
			
		
		
		
			The 
1998 Leonid Meteor Shower featured many bright events.  
Extremely bright meteors, known as bolides or 
fireballs, 
can briefly glow brighter than the 
full moon.   
Pictured 
above is a 
Leonid bolide 
caught during a five-minute, wide-angle exposure.  
The bolide was so bright it lit up the surrounding area, 
making otherwise dark trees visible.  Also visible are at 
least three other meteors, numerous bright stars, and the 
constellation Orion.  This meteor shower is called the 
Leonids 
because most of the meteors move out from the constellation Leo.  At this location near the Powell Observatory in Kansas, 
over 200 meteors per hour were reported.
 
		
		
