... A Leonid Meteor Explodes . 23.11.1998 . ... The tremendous heat generated by the collision of a small sand-bit moving at 70 kilometers/second with the Earth's upper atmosphere causes the rock-fragment to heat up, glow brightly, and disintegrate. The High Energy Crab Nebula . ... This carrot shaped track is actually little more than 5 hundredths of an inch long. ... Rich in bright and awesome fireballs, the Leonid Meteor Shower came early this year. ... Close Up of the Bubble Nebula . ...