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Astronomy Picture of the Day - The Case of the Mysterious Maybe Meteor
NASA ^ | 19 Aug, 2026 | Text: Keighley Rockcliffe (NASA GSFC, UMBC CSST, CRESST II) H/t: William Cooke, David Lee, Peter Bro

Posted on 08/19/2026 12:41:50 PM PDT by MtnClimber

Explanation: Whatdunit? What disappeared while crossing a partially eclipsed Sun? Let’s present the evidence. The 24 frames-per-second video was taken in Spain (40°34'30.3"N 1°12'28.8"W) at 20:28 local time on August 12, 2026. The Perseids meteor shower was at its peak during this time. Is this a meteor? Meteor showers trace back to a region of the sky called a radiant point that corresponds to where the Earth is crossing a comet’s path. The object’s path might trace back to the Perseids’ radiant point in the Perseus constellation. The object trails a smaller angle on the sky than the 0.5 degree Sun and Moon, which is smaller than expected for a meteor. Its brightness does not extend much past the Sun, but a meteor burning up in the sky would not need sunlight to be seen. Perhaps the sunlight is reflecting off of the object? After cross-referencing the location, time, and point in the sky with a flight database, the culprit is found to be an airplane contrail!


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa
To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail).

[The image is a very short video at the source link]

1 posted on 08/19/2026 12:41:50 PM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

[The image is a very short video at the source link]

2 posted on 08/19/2026 12:42:30 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

bttt


3 posted on 08/19/2026 12:47:33 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: MtnClimber

Lots of stuff out there buzzing around. :D


4 posted on 08/19/2026 12:48:03 PM PDT by SkyDancer ( ~ Am Yisrael Chai ~)
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To: MtnClimber

Wow - That is cool


5 posted on 08/19/2026 1:59:11 PM PDT by Deaf and Discerning
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To: MtnClimber

Cupid’s arrow....


6 posted on 08/19/2026 6:03:17 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (Making money now. Still want much more.)
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To: MtnClimber

It looks like a first-time ever capture, being in the right place at the right time with the right equipment. Very cool.


7 posted on 08/21/2026 6:11:47 AM PDT by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
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To: MtnClimber

Someone flushed the john. What isn’t shown is the farmer getting knocked off his tractor by frozen airborne waste.


8 posted on 08/21/2026 1:03:58 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (TDS -- it's not just for DNC shills anymore -- oh, wait, yeah it is.)
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