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.

                                2025 August 3
    [2]A starscape is shown with the central band of the Milky Way Galaxy
   running down the center. Just to the left of the Milky Way is a bright
    meteor. In the three frame time-lapse image, the meteor explodes and
    gas and dust drift away. Please see the explanation for more detailed
                                information.

                       Milky Way and Exploding Meteor
              Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Andre van der Hoeven

   Explanation: In about a week the [4]Perseid Meteor Shower will reach
   its maximum. Grains of icy rock will [5]streak across the sky as they
   evaporate during entry into [6]Earth's atmosphere. These grains were
   shed from [7]Comet Swift-Tuttle. The [8]Perseids result from the annual
   crossing of the Earth through [9]Comet Swift-Tuttle's orbit, and are
   typically the most active [10]meteor shower of the year. Although it is
   hard to predict the level of activity in [11]any meteor shower, in a
   clear dark sky an observer might see a [12]meteor a minute. This year's
   [13]Perseids peak just a few days after [14]full moon, and so some
   faint meteors will be lost to the [15]lunar skyglow. [16]Meteor showers
   in general are best seen from a [17]relaxing position, away from
   lights. [18]Featured here is a meteor caught [19]exploding during the
   2015 Perseids above [20]Austria next to the central band of our
   [21]Milky Way Galaxy.

                      Tomorrow's picture: arcs unknown
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [33]Robert Nemiroff ([34]MTU) & [35]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([36]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [37]Specific rights apply.
            [38]NASA Web Privacy, [39]Accessibility, [40]Notices;
                A service of: [41]ASD at [42]NASA / [43]GSFC,
                         [44]NASA Science Activation
                           & [45]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2508/MeteorBoom_vanderHoeven_750.gif
   3. https://www.flickr.com/photos/avdhoeven/
   4. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/perseids/
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150813.html
   6. https://www.nasa.gov/general/what-is-earths-atmosphere/
   7. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/109p-swift-tuttle/
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130813.html
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap960219.html
  10. http://www.amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-shower-calendar/
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search?tquery=meteor+shower
  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteoroid#Meteors
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240826.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240915.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150615.html
  16. https://www.space.com/32868-perseid-meteor-shower-guide.html
  17. https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https://preview.redd.it/comment-funny-cat-pics-cuz-thats-what-the-internet-was-made-v0-eh278ly294cb1.jpeg?width=853&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c2baeec6424c8311dcad5389358501e703b56f2e
  18. https://www.flickr.com/photos/avdhoeven/20142339228/sizes/c/
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1508/MeteorBoom_vanderHoeven_750.mp4
  20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austria
  21. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/galaxies/
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250802.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  28. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  31. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250803
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250804.html
  33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  35. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  36. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  41. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  44. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  45. http://www.mtu.edu/