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Credit & Copyright: Dandan Huang
Explanation:
It was bright and green and flashed as it moved quickly along the Milky Way.
It left
a trail that took 30 minutes to dissipate.
Given the day, August 12, and the direction, away
from Perseus,
it was likely a small bit from the nucleus of
Comet Swift-Tuttle plowing through the
Earth's atmosphere -- and therefore part of the annual
Perseids meteor shower.
The astrophotographer captured the fireball
as it shot across the sky in 2018 above a valley in
Yichang, Hubei,
China.
The meteor's streak, also caught
on video,
ended near the
direction of Mars on the lower left.
Next week, the 2021 Perseids meteor shower will peak again.
This year
the Moon will set shortly after
the Sun, leaving a night sky ideal for seeing
lots
of Perseids from dark and clear locations across
planet Earth.
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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: Perseids
Publications with words: Perseids
See also: