NASA All Sky Fireball Network Cameras Catch Perseids

The annual Perseid meteor shower peaked on Aug. 12 and 13, 2013, filling the sky with streaks of light caused by the meteoroids burning up in Earth’s atmosphere. Big meteor showers like the Perseids, are caused when Earth travels through a region of space filled with debris shed by a comet. The Perseids have been observed for at least 2,000 years and are the small fragments from comet Swift-Tuttle. These bits of ice and dust wander in space for centuries, finally burning up in the Earth’s atmosphere to create one of the best meteor showers of the year.

Compilation of Perseid meteors taken by the NASA All Sky Fireball Network cameras. Video credit: NASA/MSFC/MEO

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This Perseid fireball meteor was observed in the skies over Chickamauga, Ga., on Aug. 11, 2013, at 2:14:49 a.m. EDT. It was also recorded by four other cameras in the NASA All Sky Fireball Network. Image Credit: NASA/MSFC/MEO

3 thoughts on “NASA All Sky Fireball Network Cameras Catch Perseids”

  1. Thank you for the incredible iPhone app. Being a 63 year old Luddite, I am amazed at the generous images and information available on this tiny device in my pocket! Last night I stepped out on my deck to see if the Perseids were visible and instantly saw what I thought was the ISS traveling directly overhead. After seeing it disappear after entering earth’s umbra, I rushed inside to get my reading glasses to check the NASA app and sure enough, confirmed its passage. What a thrill! Simple things…but so impressive! Thanks again.
    Art Hughes,
    Ardrossan, AB, Canada

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