📷 Kredit: Tom Burnett

Penjelasan

Ketika sedang mengabadikan Nebula Lacerta Besar dengan teknik eksposur panjang, astrofotografer ini malah mendapatkan jackpot: Meteor terang melintas di depan kameranya sebagai garis memanjang. Kenampakan meteor pada foto ini bisa begitu menakjubkan bukan karena meteornya “terbakar”, melainkan udara di sekitarnya yang berpijar akibat dipanaskan saat sebuah batu antariksa kecil memasuki atmosfer Bumi dengan kecepatan sangat tinggi. Batu itu sendiri segera menguap, meninggalkan jejak gas dan debu yang warnanya dapat mengungkap unsur-unsur penyusunnya. Agustus ini, tepatnya tanggal 13, hujan meteor Perseid akan mencapai puncaknya. Dengan intensitas yang diperkirakan mencapai 100 meteor per jam, kamu berkesempatan untuk memotret meteor seperti foto ini juga bila beruntung dan langit cukup gelap.

Sumber: NASA APOD | 2026-08-03

English: What’s happening to this meteor? This bright meteor streak appeared and disappeared quickly during a long exposure of the Great Lacerta Nebula, seen faintly in red toward the center of the image. The meteoroid, likely a small pebble, creates its glow partly by heating and exciting surrounding air in Earth’s atmosphere, but itself vaporizes and leaves wind-blown gas and dust with colors that give clues to its composition. The featured image was captured last month from Death Valley Observatories in Nevada, USA. This month, though, is particularly good for seeing meteors. Presently there are three meteor showers ongoing, although they are currently competing for visibility with the glow of a bright gibbous Moon. The most active of these showers, the Perseids, will be busiest in about 10 days — after the Moon has dimmed considerably. This year, the Perseids peak nearly coincides with not only a new Moon, but, from some locations, one that totally eclipses the Sun. Sky Surprise: What picture did APOD feature on your birthday? (after 1995)