Image of a meteor track in a region between the constellations of Draco (centre left) and Bootes (bottom right). Meteor tracks, also known as falling

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Image of a meteor track in a region between the constellations of Draco (centre left) and Bootes (bottom right). Meteor tracks, also known as falling or shooting stars, are caused by microscopic dust grains which enter the Earth's atmosphere at speeds between 35 and 95 km per second. The air resistance incandesces the grains making them visible as streaks of light. Meteor showers occur regularly each year when the Earth crosses the orbit of a comet and its debris enters Earth's atmosphere. An aurora display of red and green light was also recorded. Aurorae are caused by the interaction between charged particles from the solar wind and gases in the upper atmosphere.

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Size: 5079px × 3555px
Photo credit: © PEKKA PARVIAINEN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: action, astronomy, aurora, cosmology, display, falling, meteor, motion, move, movement, moving, star, track