This was
your sky.

Perseid Meteors and the Milky Way

This image captures a series of Perseid meteors streaking across the night sky, with the Milky Way visible in the background. The Perseid meteor shower occurs annually when Earth passes through the debris trail of Comet Swift-Tuttle. Each meteor is a small particle of dust burning up in Earth's atmosphere. This photo shows the beauty of these cosmic dust grains as they briefly illuminate the night. Observing meteors helps scientists understand cometary material and atmospheric entry.