Astronomy picture of the day

Explanation:

Normally, residents of planet Earth observe meteor showers by looking up. But this remarkable image, taken by astronaut Ron Garan on August 13, 2011, shows a Perseid meteor by looking down. From Garan’s perspective aboard the International Space Station, which orbits at an altitude of about 380 kilometers, the Perseid meteors pass below them, kicking up dust from the comet Swift-Tuttle. The comet’s evaporating dust grains move at about 60 kilometers per second through the thicker atmosphere about 100 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. In this case, the foreshortened meteor flash is near the center of the image, below the curved edge of the Earth and a layer of greenish night sky, just below the bright star Arcturus. Want to see a meteor shower? You’re in luck, because the 2024 Perseid meteor shower is active now and is expected to peak around August 12. With the lack of distracting bright moonlight, you’ll likely see plenty of Perseid meteors under clear, dark skies after midnight this year.