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.

                               2026 August 19
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                   The Case of the Mysterious Maybe Meteor
                     Video Credit: Juan Pablo Castañeda
   Text: [2]Keighley Rockcliffe ([3]NASA [4]GSFC, [5]UMBC CSST, [6]CRESST
                                     II)
      H/t: [7]William Cooke, David Lee, [8]Peter Brown, [9]Denis Vida,
                            [10]Peter Jenniskens

   Explanation: [11]Whatdunit? What disappeared while crossing a partially
   eclipsed Sun? Let’s present the evidence. The 24 frames-per-second
   video was taken in Spain (40°34'30.3"N 1°12'28.8"W) at 20:28 local time
   on August 12, 2026. The [12]Perseids meteor shower was at its peak
   during this time. Is this a [13]meteor? [14]Meteor showers trace back
   to a region of the sky called a [15]radiant point that corresponds to
   where the Earth is [16]crossing a comet’s path. The object’s path might
   trace back to the Perseids’ radiant point in the [17]Perseus
   constellation. The object trails a smaller [18]angle on the sky than
   the 0.5 degree Sun and Moon, which is smaller than expected for a
   meteor. Its [19]brightness does not extend much past the Sun, but a
   meteor burning up in the sky would not need sunlight to be seen.
   Perhaps the sunlight is reflecting off of the object? After
   cross-referencing the [20]location, time, and point in the sky with a
   [21]flight database, the culprit is found to be an [22]airplane
   contrail!

                      Tomorrow's picture: more mystery
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [34]Robert Nemiroff ([35]MTU) & [36]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([37]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [38]Specific rights apply.
            [39]NASA Web Privacy, [40]Accessibility, [41]Notices;
                A service of: [42]ASD at [43]NASA / [44]GSFC,
                         [45]NASA Science Activation
                           & [46]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://kerockcliffe.com/
   3. https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sci/bio/keighley.e.rockcliffe
   4. https://www.nasa.gov/goddard/
   5. https://csst.umbc.edu/directory/
   6. https://cresst2.umd.edu/
   7. https://sma.nasa.gov/sma-disciplines/meteoroid-environments
   8. https://physics.uwo.ca/people/faculty_web_pages/brown.html
   9. https://space.uwo.ca/people/our-members/vida-denis/index.html
  10. https://www.seti.org/people/peter-jenniskens/
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whodunit
  12. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/perseids/
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250816.html
  14. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/
  15. https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/r/Radiant
  16. https://app.astrobin.com/u/OgetayKayali?i=jazfxj
  17. https://noirlab.edu/public/education/constellations/perseus/
  18. https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/a/Angular+Diameter
  19. https://www.amsmeteors.org/fireballs/faqf/
  20. https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@40.575,358.792?iso=20260812
  21. https://globe.adsbexchange.com/
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170404.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260818.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  27. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  29. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  32. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260826
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260820.html
  34. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/department/faculty/nemiroff/
  35. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/
  36. https://inspirehep.net/authors/1073087
  37. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  38. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  42. https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/astrophysics/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/
  44. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  45. https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/
  46. http://www.mtu.edu/