Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 August 12 [2]A night sky filled with stars and the band of our Milky Way galaxy is shown also filled with many streaks. The short streaks are all coordinated and together indicate a flow from the top of the image to the bottom. In the foreground at the bottom of the frame is Stonehenge. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. Perseid Meteors over Stonehenge Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Josh Dury Explanation: What's happening in the sky above Stonehenge? A meteor shower: specifically, the [4]Perseid meteor shower. A few nights ago, after the [5]sky darkened, many images of meteors from this year's [6]Perseids were captured separately and merged into a single frame. Although the [7]meteors all traveled on straight paths, these paths appear slightly curved by the wide-angle lens of the capturing camera. The [8]meteor streaks can all be traced back to a single point on the sky called the [9]radiant, here just off the top of the frame in the [10]constellation of Perseus. The same camera took a deep image of the background sky that brought up the [11]central band of our [12]Milky Way galaxy running nearly vertical through the image center. The [13]featured image was taken from [14]Wiltshire, [15]England, being careful to include, at the bottom, the famous astronomical monument of [16]Stonehenge. Although the [17]Perseids peaked last night, some Perseid meteors should [18]still be visible for a few more nights. Tomorrow's picture: big sky jet __________________________________________________________________ [19]< | [20]Archive | [21]Submissions | [22]Index | [23]Search | [24]Calendar | [25]RSS | [26]Education | [27]About APOD | [28]Discuss | [29]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [30]Robert Nemiroff ([31]MTU) & [32]Jerry Bonnell ([33]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [34]Specific rights apply. [35]NASA Web Privacy, [36]Accessibility, [37]Notices; A service of: [38]ASD at [39]NASA / [40]GSFC, [41]NASA Science Activation & [42]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2408/PerseidsStonehenge_Dury_2780.jpg 3. https://www.instagram.com/josh_dury_photomedia/ 4. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/perseids/ 5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240228.html 6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseids 7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240811.html 8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap161213.html 9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiant_(meteor_shower) 10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseus_(constellation) 11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240805.html 12. https://science.nasa.gov/resource/the-milky-way-galaxy/ 13. https://www.instagram.com/p/C-hUGnvsliD/ 14. https://youtu.be/6rUFClgsrnQ 15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England 16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonehenge 17. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/skywatching/night-sky-network/prepare-for-perseids/ 18. https://i.chzbgr.com/full/8572855808/hBCCED02B/cute-cat-hiding-hey-whered-she-go 19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240811.html 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 23. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 25. https://apod.com/feed.rss 26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 28. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240812 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240813.html 30. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 31. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 32. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 33. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 35. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 36. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 37. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 38. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 39. https://www.nasa.gov/ 40. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 41. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 42. http://www.mtu.edu/