Shooting stars over Northumberland
Perseid meteor taken over Alnwick moor
This is a picture of a Perseid meteor taken from Corby Crags near Alnwick in the early hours of August 12th. Meteors are dust particles shed by comets as they orbit the Sun.
When the Earth ploughs through these dusty trails they vaporise at high speed about 50 miles above the ground. They appear from the ground as fast moving “shooting stars”.
The Perseids peak every year on August 12th/13th and appear to radiate away from the constellation Perseus. Perseid meteors are also known as “the tears of St Lawrence” because the peak occurs close to the feast day of that saint.
Adrian Jannetta
Northumberland Astronomical Society
