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Credit & Copyright: Xu Chen
Explanation:
What's happening to this meteor?
It is shedding its outer layers as it passes through the
Earth's atmosphere and heats up.
The sudden high temperatures not only cause the bright glow along the
dramatic streak but also
melt and vaporize the
meteor's component rock and ice, creating dust.
Wind in the atmosphere typically
blows this dust away
over the next few seconds, leaving
no visible trace after only a few minutes.
Much of this dust will
eventually settle down to the
Earth.
The featured image was captured in mid-December,
coincident with the
Geminids meteor shower.
On the upper left is Sirius, the
brightest star in the night sky,
while in the foreground is fog-engulfed
Huangshan,
the Yellow Mountains of eastern
China.
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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: meteors - dust
Publications with words: meteors - dust
See also: