Fancy doing something different this November? Why not join sky watchers around the world the night of Tuesday, November 17, as they await the spectacular return of the Leonids, a meteor shower linked to Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. Though this comet passes by earth every year at this time, experts are cautiously predicting a repeat of the great meteor storm that broke over the earth in November 1966 when more than 10,000 meteors per hour were observed in some locations. Professor Iwan Williams (Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London), who has been studying what is known about the stream of meteoroids, says that his calculations suggest the display will be spectacular. He also thinks 1998 will be better than 1999 because the comet's closest approach to Earth is between the two dates but closer to November. For more information, search the Internet using keywords Leonids 1998. If you have never had a star party before, remember:

a) find a location away from streetlights and house lights and keep your own lights to a minimum so that your eyes get used to the dark;

b) dress very warmly, i.e. lots of thin layers to trap body heat, a wooly hat, good socks, and gloves;

c) take flasks of hot drinks and food to nibble;

d) the Leonid meteors appear to come from within the constellation Leo. Look at the western portion of the constellation, the section commonly referred to as the sickle or backward question mark. To best observe the Leonids, lie down outside in a reclining garden chair or on a thick blanket or carpet with your feet pointing towards the east/southeast (the general direction of Leo). Observe from 12:30 a.m. until dawn - if you can last that long;

e) take a group of friends and enjoy a "different" type of evening.