Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Lighthouse and Meteor

NASA ^ | January 08, 2012 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Named for a forgotten constellation, the Quadrantid Meteor Shower is an annual event for planet Earth's northern hemisphere skygazers. It usually peaks briefly in the cold, early morning hours of January 4. The shower's radiant point on the sky lies within the old, astronomically obsolete constellation Quadrans Muralis. That position is situated near the boundaries of the modern constellations Hercules, Bootes, and Draco. Many of this year's Quadrantid meteors were dim, but the one captured in this north-looking view is bright and easy to spot. In the foreground is the Maurice River's East Point Lighthouse located near the southern tip of New Jersey on the US east coast. The likely source of the dust stream that produces Quadrantid meteors was identified in 2003 as an asteroid.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit & Copyright: Jack Fusco]

[SunkenCiv]

Hitchcock movie?

join or quit list APoD 'blog post new APoD topic Astronomy Picture of the Day topic & keyword Astronomy Chat, Bloggers & keyword Science Chat, Bloggers & keyword NASA's APoD archive Calendar 1995-present APoD on your desktop

[left that other site]

Very, very COOL!

[momtothree]

I see it as stark beauty. Different eyes.. different interpretation. Very cool, SunkenCiv!

[cripplecreek]

I’ve always liked the idea of living in a remote lighthouse. Michigan has some good ones.

[PGalt]

Very cool. Thanks for posting.

(sheesh, I was just talking about lighthouses the other day with a co-worker)

http://www.pbs.org/legendarylighthouses/html/glakepg.html

[ixtl]

Cool picture; very intriguing. I can just see the lighthouse keeper standing on the balcony (sorry, can’t think of a better word) outside, looking up in wonder....

[Calvin Locke]

I’ve always liked the idea of living in a remote lighthouse.

You should search for an old radio program epi (free mp3) from a series called "Escape", entitled "Three Skeleton Key", and hear Vincent Price relate what happened to "him", and his two colleagues manning, er, keeping, a remote lighthouse.