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Credit & Copyright: Petr Horálek
Explanation:
This weekend,
meteors will rain down near the peak of the annual
Perseid Meteor Shower.
Normally bright and colorful, the Perseid shower meteors are
produced by dust swept up by planet Earth from the orbit
of Comet Swift-Tuttle.
They streak
from a radiant in Perseus, above the horizon
in clear predawn skies.
Despite interfering light from August's waning gibbous moon,
this year's Perseids
will still be enjoyable,
especially if you can find yourself in an open space,
away from city lights, and in good company.
Frames used in this composite view
capture bright Perseid meteors from the 2016 meteor
shower set against a starry background along the Milky Way,
with even the faint
Andromeda Galaxy just above center.
In the foreground, astronomers of all ages have gathered on a hill
above the Slovakian
village of Vrchtepla.
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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 - Perseids
Publications with words: meteor - Perseids
See also: