Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Leonid Fireball over Tenerife

NASA ^ | November 22, 2011 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Historically active, this year's Leonid meteor shower was diminished by bright moonlight. Still, faithful night sky watchers did see the shower peak on November 18 and even the glare of moonlight didn't come close to masking this brilliant fireball meteor. The colorful meteor trail and final flare was captured early that morning in western skies over the Canary Island Observatorio del Teide on Tenerife. Particles of dust swept up when planet Earth passes near the orbit of periodic comet Tempel-Tuttle, Leonid meteors typically enter the atmosphere at nearly 70 kilometers per second. Looking away from the Moon, the wide angle camera lens also recorded bright stars in the familiar constellations Orion and Taurus near picture center. Inset are two exposures of this fireball's persistent train. The consecutive train images follow the meteor's flash by several minutes as high altitude winds disperse the faint, smokey trail. The two large telescope buildings are the GREGOR telescope with reddish dome and the Vacuum Tower Telescope along the right edge of the frame, both sun watching telescopes.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit & Copyright: Juergen Rendtel (AIP Potsdam), IMO]

[SunkenCiv]

A day late, but way more than a dollar short, so no worries. My gravestone will read, "collect this!"

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[momtothree]

Very cool, SunkenCiv. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Mom

[eccentric]

We missed the shower this month. Just too cold to enjoy. Now August is another matter. We will lay outside and watch for hours. I easily remember the showers because I have a daughter’s birthday near each one.

[cripplecreek]

They really need to schedule these things for 9pm or so.

[Explorer89]

I will never forget the Leonids of 2001.....I was 8.75 months pregnant, sitting in my backyard in the country in about 35 degrees (no moon that year) for darned close to 3 hours watching Honest-to-Goodness FIREWORKS. Lots of little streaks, and plenty of green fireballs.

[struggle]

I saw the Leonids in 2002 (?) when they had a very big shower on top of Ikoma Mountain next to Osaka. Even with all of Osaka’s lights blazing, by 5 am in the morning it was spectacular.

[ixtl]

Eastern Standard Time?

[TheOldLady]

I love meteors. So long as I can see them moving.