Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Castle and Meteor by Moonlight

NASA ^ | August 13, 2011 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Each August, as planet Earth swings through dust trailing along the orbit of periodic comet Swift-Tuttle, skygazers enjoy the Perseid Meteor Shower. As Earth moves through the denser part of the comet's wide dust trail this year's shower peaks around 6:00 UT August 13 (this morning), when light from a nearly full Moon masks all but the brighter meteor streaks. Still, Perseid meteors can be spotted in the days surrounding the peak. Moonlight and a Perseid meteor created this gorgeous skyscape, recorded in a simple, single, 10 second long exposure on the morning of August 12. Below the moonlit clouds in the foreground are the ruins of a medieval castle near Veszprem, Hungary, seen against the Bakony mountain range. In the night sky above the clouds, the Perseid meteor's trail is joined by bright planet Jupiter near the center of the frame along with the lovely Pleiades star cluster at the left.

[SunkenCiv]

[ Image Credit & Copyright: Tamas Ladanyi (TWAN)]

[SunkenCiv]

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[madmominct]

Beautiful! Thank you!

[skr]

What a shot—thanks for posting it!

[TheOldLady]

Goodness! That reminds me of a tiny “castle” in Scotland that Hubby and I explored. It was pretty run down and open to the air and all, but it was delightful to wander around it and its grounds. I forget the name, and I’m too lazy to dig out the trip records, but it’s around here somewhere, LOL!

Very similar shape and size.

[Captain Beyond]

Hi SunkenCiv,

Please me to this ping list also.

Thanks,
Captain Beyond

[SunkenCiv]

:’) “it was pretty run down”... must have been at Loch Mess.

[SunkenCiv]

My pleasure.