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Credit & Copyright: ROTSE Team
Explanation:
Last night and tonight, a lucky few may see a meteor explode.
As our Earth passes unusually
close to debris expelled from
Comet Tempel-Tuttle,
many sand-sized particles from this comet are
entering and burning up in the Earth's atmosphere.
This yearly
phenomenon is known as the
Leonids Meteor Shower, but the location
the Earth passes through this year holds
promise to provide
relatively high activity.
In particular, the 1998 Leonids
was noteworthy for its many
bright meteors.
In the
above slow-loading sequence, a 1998
Leonid was caught
exploding over Los Alamos,
New Mexico.
In the last one-minute exposure,
another Leonid streaks past.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: meteor shower - Leonids
Publications with words: meteor shower - Leonids
See also: