Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2024 July 14
   [2]A distant spiral galaxy is seen in the image center. A multi-colored
     streak runs diagonally across the image from the upper left to the
    lower right. Parts of this streak have gas near it. The background is
      dark field filled with stars. Please see the explanation for more
                            detailed information.

                            Meteor Misses Galaxy
                     Credit & Copyright: [3]Aman Chokshi

   Explanation: The galaxy was never in danger. For one thing, the
   [4]Triangulum galaxy (M33), pictured, is much bigger than the [5]tiny
   grain of rock at the head of the meteor. For another, the galaxy is
   much farther away -- in this instance 3 million [6]light years as
   opposed to only about 0.0003 light seconds. Even so, the [7]meteor's
   path took it angularly below the galaxy. Also the wind high in
   [8]Earth's atmosphere blew the [9]meteor's glowing evaporative molecule
   train away from the galaxy, in [10]angular projection. Still, the
   astrophotographer was quite lucky to capture [11]both a meteor and a
   galaxy in a single exposure -- which was subsequently added to two
   other images of [12]M33 to bring up the [13]spiral galaxy's colors. At
   the end, [14]the meteor was gone in a second, but [15]the galaxy will
   last billions of years.

   Your Sky Surprise: [16]What picture did APOD feature on your birthday?
                                 (post 1995)
                     Tomorrow's picture: galaxy unwound
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    Authors & editors: [28]Robert Nemiroff ([29]MTU) & [30]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([31]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [32]Specific rights apply.
            [33]NASA Web Privacy, [34]Accessibility, [35]Notices;
                A service of: [36]ASD at [37]NASA / [38]GSFC,
                         [39]NASA Science Activation
                           & [40]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2407/M33Meteor_Chokshi_2000.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/aman_chokshi/
   4. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180927.html
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap011117.html
   6. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/en/
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130209.html
   8. https://www.nasa.gov/general/what-is-earths-atmosphere/
   9. https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/catching-meteor-train
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forced_perspective#/media/File:Europe_2007_Disk_1_340.jpg
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180812.html
  12. https://youtu.be/qVTgWPFRQCo
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_galaxy
  14. https://www.amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-faq/
  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangulum_Galaxy
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240713.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  21. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  23. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  26. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240714
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240715.html
  28. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  29. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  30. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  31. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  36. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  37. https://www.nasa.gov/
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  39. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  40. http://www.mtu.edu/