Go back! deutsch english español language


Antiradiant of the Perseids 2012


Riding along the Milky Way to the point of no return

Date:12.08.2012 Time:22:01-0:27 UT
Exposure:9 x 6s Field of View: about 100o x 50o
Camera:Nikon D3 Optics:24mm, f/1.4
Place:Schachen, Swabian Alb,
Germany
Observer:Till Credner


© Copyright AlltheSky.com

Due to similar motion of the meteoroids in the solar system and earths flight through this dusty cloud, meteors of one stream move on parallel tracks in our atmosphere. In our perspective view however, the parallel tracks in space seem to come from one direction, the radiant of the meteors. The typical meteors of August emanate from the constellation of Perseus, and thus are called Perseids.

The photo above was taken with Perseus in the back and the radiant about 30 degrees high in the sky. The meteors now seem to converge in a point 30 degrees below the horizon, the "antiradiant". But they never reach this point: the pea-sized particles are pulverized to dust that slowly rains down to earth. Only the rare and more massive earthgrazers can escape from the atmosphere if the meteors path only touches the outer atmosphere tangentially. This can happen when the radiant is just rising or setting at the horizon.

The above composite of nine 6s-exposures was constructed in a way that the meteors are on their right position with respect to the stars.


Radiant of the Perseids 2012

Anticrepuscular Rays
More images of the Perseids 2012