Astronomy Picture of the Day -- A Blazing Fireball between the Orion Nebula and Rigel

NASA ^ | November 16, 2015 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: What's happening to that meteor? A few days ago, a bright fireball was photographed from the Alps mountain range in Switzerland as it blazed across the sky. The fireball, likely from the Taurids meteor shower, was notable not only for how bright it was, but for the rare orange light it created that lingered for several minutes. Initially, the orange glow made it seem like the meteor trail was on fire. However, the orange glow, known as a persistent train, originated neither from fire nor sunlight-reflecting smoke. Rather, the persistent train's glow emanated from atoms in the Earth's atmosphere in the path of the meteor -- atoms that had an electron knocked away and emit light during reacquisition. Persistent trains often drift, so that the long 3-minute exposure actually captured the initial wind-blown displacement of these bright former ions. The featured image was acquired when trying to image the famous Orion Nebula, visible on the upper left. The bright blue star Rigel, part of the constellation of Orion, is visible to the right. This week the fireball-rich Taurids meteor shower continues to be active even though it has passed its peak, while the more active Leonids meteor shower is just peaking.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit and Copyright: Ivo Scheggia]

[SunkenCiv]

The Big One

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[TXnMA]

Bum luck here in northeastern Texas on the several meteor showers that are usually worth watching this time of year. There is a persistent "river" of moisture out of the Pacific, across Mexico, and sometimes reaching all the way to Maine, that has had us covered in clouds. :-(

This satellite IR loop has been like this for weeks...

[ETL]

“The fireball, likely from the Taurids meteor shower, was notable not only for how bright it was, but for the rare orange light it created that lingered for several minutes.”

I remember during one really spectacular year for the Leonids out in fairly dark skies on Long Island (NY) seeing some fireballs lighting up GREEN with ‘smoke’ trails that lingered for a half hour or so. I had never, before or since, experienced anything like that before. There were so many bright ones like that it was actually scary at times. I can’t recall the year, but I think there were 2 years back to back when Earth had passed through a particularly large clump of the comet’s debris.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!

[TheOldLady]

Oooooh! Orion, Rigel, and a blazing fireball knocking ions out of the air! My favorites.

These APODs are getting better and better, Mr. Civilizations. Thank you for the post and ping.