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Credit & Copyright: Wally Pacholka
Explanation:
In the sky or on the web,
did you watch this year's Leonid meteor shower?
If you did,
meteors flashing through the night sky
should be a familiar sight.
Recorded last year during the
1998 apparition of the Leonids,
this time-exposure of the sky around the constellation
Canis Major
(big dog) shows the trail of a spectacular fireball meteor.
The meteor, by chance, seems to
leap from the constellation's brightest
star Sirius, near the
top right.
In the foreground is the beautiful
desert scenery of
Joshua Tree National Park.
At this year's peak of the cosmic dust storm,
observers in Europe and Africa
reported intense rates
of over 1600 meteors per hour for a brief period near 0215
November 18 (UTC).
Awe inspiring as they were,
the Leonids posed no danger to earthbound skywatchers.
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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: Leonids - meteor - Sirius
Publications with words: Leonids - meteor - Sirius
See also: