Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Astronomy Picture of the Day - Meteor before Galaxy
NASA ^ | 6 Aug, 2025 | Image Credit & Copyright: Fritz Helmut Hemmerich

Posted on 08/06/2025 12:46:15 PM PDT by MtnClimber

Explanation: What's that green streak in front of the Andromeda galaxy? A meteor. While photographing the Andromeda galaxy in 2016, near the peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower, a small pebble from deep space crossed right in front of our Milky Way Galaxy's far-distant companion. The small meteor took only a fraction of a second to pass through this 10-degree field. The meteor flared several times while braking violently upon entering Earth's atmosphere. The green color was created, at least in part, by the meteor's gas glowing as it vaporized. Although the exposure was timed to catch a Perseid meteor, the orientation of the imaged streak seems a better match to a meteor from the Southern Delta Aquariids, a meteor shower that peaked a few weeks earlier. Not coincidentally, the Perseid Meteor Shower peaks next week, although this year the meteors will have to outshine a sky brightened by a nearly full moon.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa

Click here: to donate by Credit Card

Or here: to donate by PayPal

Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794

Thank you very much and God bless you.

To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail).

For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 08/06/2025 12:46:16 PM PDT by MtnClimber
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 08/06/2025 12:46:40 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MtnClimber

Nice


3 posted on 08/06/2025 12:47:15 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

4 posted on 08/06/2025 12:47:31 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MtnClimber

Lucky shot, I have trouble even finding Andromeda.


5 posted on 08/06/2025 12:54:12 PM PDT by doorgunner69
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MtnClimber

Wow.


6 posted on 08/06/2025 12:58:48 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Jet Jaguar

Very.


7 posted on 08/06/2025 12:58:55 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: MtnClimber

Some people would be aggravated that their galaxy photo was “ruined” by a meteor slicing through M31. I think it’s pretty cool.


8 posted on 08/06/2025 1:02:29 PM PDT by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Jet Jaguar
It wasn't me!

9 posted on 08/06/2025 1:50:25 PM PDT by Waverunner (Torah! Torah! Torah! my favorite IDF radio code.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: MtnClimber

Just missed a bullseye, but still a nice shot.


10 posted on 08/06/2025 2:00:01 PM PDT by Stosh
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Waverunner

:0)


11 posted on 08/06/2025 3:08:08 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: MtnClimber

I’ve seen 14 (so far) large meteors in my 32 yrs of living away from light pollution and on a couple of occasions they have had a green glow to them. I’ve often wondered Wether it was my imagination or some trick of the light.
Obviously not, thanks for the reminder!
Beautiful shot.


12 posted on 08/06/2025 4:05:20 PM PDT by mitch5501 ("make your calling and election sure:for if ye do these things ye shall never fall")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MtnClimber

Amazing photo.


13 posted on 08/07/2025 5:56:49 AM PDT by BBB333 (The Power Of Trump Compels You!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson