APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Comments and questions about the APOD on the main view screen.
Post Reply
User avatar
APOD Robot
Otto Posterman
Posts: 5344
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 3:27 am
Contact:

APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by APOD Robot » Sun Aug 07, 2022 4:07 am

Image Meteor before Galaxy

Explanation: What's that green streak in front of the Andromeda galaxy? A meteor. While photographing the Andromeda galaxy in 2016, near the peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower, a small pebble from deep space crossed right in front of our Milky Way Galaxy's far-distant companion. The small meteor took only a fraction of a second to pass through this 10-degree field. The meteor flared several times while braking violently upon entering Earth's atmosphere. The green color was created, at least in part, by the meteor's gas glowing as it vaporized. Although the exposure was timed to catch a Perseid meteor, the orientation of the imaged streak seems a better match to a meteor from the Southern Delta Aquariids, a meteor shower that peaked a few weeks earlier. Not coincidentally, the Perseid Meteor Shower peaks later this week, although this year the meteors will have to outshine a sky brightened by a nearly full moon.

<< Previous APOD This Day in APOD Next APOD >>

User avatar
Astronymus
Science Officer
Posts: 146
Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:26 pm
AKA: Astro
Location: Northern Alps

Re: APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by Astronymus » Sun Aug 07, 2022 7:17 am

The flares look like a pattern. Probably due to rotation, I guess.
»Only a dead Earth is a good Earth.«

daddyo
Science Officer
Posts: 114
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:48 am

Re: APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by daddyo » Sun Aug 07, 2022 7:43 am

Missed the core by “that much”

User avatar
XgeoX
Science Officer
Posts: 215
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2020 12:57 pm
AKA: Uncle Rico

Re: APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by XgeoX » Sun Aug 07, 2022 7:54 am

Just a stunning image…
Space cat approves!

Image

Eric
Ego vigilate
Ego audire

User avatar
orin stepanek
Plutopian
Posts: 8200
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:41 pm
Location: Nebraska

Re: APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by orin stepanek » Sun Aug 07, 2022 12:47 pm

MeteorM31_hemmerich_1948.jpg
Jedi laser powers past Andromeda! :mrgreen:
Orin

Smile today; tomorrow's another day!

User avatar
Chris Peterson
Abominable Snowman
Posts: 18103
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:13 pm
Location: Guffey, Colorado, USA
Contact:

Re: APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by Chris Peterson » Sun Aug 07, 2022 1:46 pm

Astronymus wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 7:17 am The flares look like a pattern. Probably due to rotation, I guess.
More likely related to the fluffy, inhomogeneous nature of the parent body.
Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
https://www.cloudbait.com

User avatar
johnnydeep
Commodore
Posts: 2777
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:57 pm

Re: APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by johnnydeep » Sun Aug 07, 2022 3:04 pm

Chris Peterson wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 1:46 pm
Astronymus wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 7:17 am The flares look like a pattern. Probably due to rotation, I guess.
More likely related to the fluffy, inhomogeneous nature of the parent body.
Maybe both? I think the pattern Astronymus is referring to is the pretty regular spacing of the flares (ignoring how bright they are and the interruption over the body of Andromeda):

meteor flare intervals.JPG
--
"To B̬̻̋̚o̞̮̚̚l̘̲̀᷾d̫͓᷅ͩḷ̯᷁ͮȳ͙᷊͠ Go......Beyond The F͇̤i̙̖e̤̟l̡͓d͈̹s̙͚ We Know."{ʲₒʰₙNYᵈₑᵉₚ}

User avatar
Chris Peterson
Abominable Snowman
Posts: 18103
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:13 pm
Location: Guffey, Colorado, USA
Contact:

Re: APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by Chris Peterson » Sun Aug 07, 2022 3:43 pm

johnnydeep wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 3:04 pm
Chris Peterson wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 1:46 pm
Astronymus wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 7:17 am The flares look like a pattern. Probably due to rotation, I guess.
More likely related to the fluffy, inhomogeneous nature of the parent body.
Maybe both? I think the pattern Astronymus is referring to is the pretty regular spacing of the flares (ignoring how bright they are and the interruption over the body of Andromeda):


meteor flare intervals.JPG
Maybe, but I'm more inclined to think rotation isn't involved. A tiny particle like this would probably align in a fixed orientation even before the air got dense enough for it to start ablating. The flare distance would suggest a rotation rate of about 10/s, which is awfully fast.
Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
https://www.cloudbait.com

User avatar
VictorBorun
Captain
Posts: 1025
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2020 10:25 pm
Contact:

Re: APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by VictorBorun » Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:21 am

Chris Peterson wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 3:43 pm
johnnydeep wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 3:04 pm
Chris Peterson wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 1:46 pm

More likely related to the fluffy, inhomogeneous nature of the parent body.
Maybe both? I think the pattern Astronymus is referring to is the pretty regular spacing of the flares (ignoring how bright they are and the interruption over the body of Andromeda):


meteor flare intervals.JPG
Maybe, but I'm more inclined to think rotation isn't involved. A tiny particle like this would probably align in a fixed orientation even before the air got dense enough for it to start ablating. The flare distance would suggest a rotation rate of about 10/s, which is awfully fast.
what if that tiny particle was stereo asymmetric and got spinned up by the headwind?

User avatar
Chris Peterson
Abominable Snowman
Posts: 18103
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:13 pm
Location: Guffey, Colorado, USA
Contact:

Re: APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by Chris Peterson » Mon Aug 08, 2022 4:28 am

VictorBorun wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:21 am
Chris Peterson wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 3:43 pm
johnnydeep wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 3:04 pm

Maybe both? I think the pattern Astronymus is referring to is the pretty regular spacing of the flares (ignoring how bright they are and the interruption over the body of Andromeda):


meteor flare intervals.JPG
Maybe, but I'm more inclined to think rotation isn't involved. A tiny particle like this would probably align in a fixed orientation even before the air got dense enough for it to start ablating. The flare distance would suggest a rotation rate of about 10/s, which is awfully fast.
what if that tiny particle was stereo asymmetric and got spinned up by the headwind?
Anything is possible. I think it is unlikely. I think the apparent repetition of the flaring is probably just coincidence and our tendency to see patterns even when there aren't any.
Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
https://www.cloudbait.com

User avatar
johnnydeep
Commodore
Posts: 2777
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:57 pm

Re: APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by johnnydeep » Mon Aug 08, 2022 1:35 pm

Chris Peterson wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 4:28 am
VictorBorun wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:21 am
Chris Peterson wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 3:43 pm
Maybe, but I'm more inclined to think rotation isn't involved. A tiny particle like this would probably align in a fixed orientation even before the air got dense enough for it to start ablating. The flare distance would suggest a rotation rate of about 10/s, which is awfully fast.
what if that tiny particle was stereo asymmetric and got spinned up by the headwind?
Anything is possible. I think it is unlikely. I think the apparent repetition of the flaring is probably just coincidence and our tendency to see patterns even when there aren't any.
Yeah, we humans sure do tend to do that. But fortunately, such an ability (or gift) also comes in very handy for discovering new science!
--
"To B̬̻̋̚o̞̮̚̚l̘̲̀᷾d̫͓᷅ͩḷ̯᷁ͮȳ͙᷊͠ Go......Beyond The F͇̤i̙̖e̤̟l̡͓d͈̹s̙͚ We Know."{ʲₒʰₙNYᵈₑᵉₚ}

User avatar
Chris Peterson
Abominable Snowman
Posts: 18103
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:13 pm
Location: Guffey, Colorado, USA
Contact:

Re: APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by Chris Peterson » Mon Aug 08, 2022 1:36 pm

johnnydeep wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 1:35 pm
Chris Peterson wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 4:28 am
VictorBorun wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:21 am

what if that tiny particle was stereo asymmetric and got spinned up by the headwind?
Anything is possible. I think it is unlikely. I think the apparent repetition of the flaring is probably just coincidence and our tendency to see patterns even when there aren't any.
Yeah, we humans sure do tend to do that. But fortunately, such an ability (or gift) also comes in very handy for discovering new science!
Yes... as long as we recognize the bias is there and don't let it take over. (True of all the biases that are wired into us!)
Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
https://www.cloudbait.com

User avatar
johnnydeep
Commodore
Posts: 2777
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:57 pm

Re: APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by johnnydeep » Mon Aug 08, 2022 1:42 pm

Chris Peterson wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 1:36 pm
johnnydeep wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 1:35 pm
Chris Peterson wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 4:28 am

Anything is possible. I think it is unlikely. I think the apparent repetition of the flaring is probably just coincidence and our tendency to see patterns even when there aren't any.
Yeah, we humans sure do tend to do that. But fortunately, such an ability (or gift) also comes in very handy for discovering new science!
Yes... as long as we recognize the bias is there and don't let it take over. (True of all the biases that are wired into us!)
And sadly, our History (and our present), is rife with stories of people who lack the ability to distinguish between the real and imagined patterns/"connections" they see and end up promulgating pseudoscience or worse.
--
"To B̬̻̋̚o̞̮̚̚l̘̲̀᷾d̫͓᷅ͩḷ̯᷁ͮȳ͙᷊͠ Go......Beyond The F͇̤i̙̖e̤̟l̡͓d͈̹s̙͚ We Know."{ʲₒʰₙNYᵈₑᵉₚ}

User avatar
Astronymus
Science Officer
Posts: 146
Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:26 pm
AKA: Astro
Location: Northern Alps

Re: APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by Astronymus » Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:43 am

Hey, hey. Calm down. It was a suggestion, not a new theory. One would have to analyse many pictures to determine if it "could" be a pattern or just a coincidence. And as micrometeorites do... did rotate, that's known due their melting pattern, I wondered...
»Only a dead Earth is a good Earth.«

User avatar
johnnydeep
Commodore
Posts: 2777
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:57 pm

Re: APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by johnnydeep » Sat Aug 13, 2022 12:12 pm

Astronymus wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:43 am Hey, hey. Calm down. It was a suggestion, not a new theory. One would have to analyse many pictures to determine if it "could" be a pattern or just a coincidence. And as micrometeorites do... did rotate, that's known due their melting pattern, I wondered...
No worries. Hope you didn't take my remarks to be casting aspersions in your direction. That was not my intent. We're all friends here!
--
"To B̬̻̋̚o̞̮̚̚l̘̲̀᷾d̫͓᷅ͩḷ̯᷁ͮȳ͙᷊͠ Go......Beyond The F͇̤i̙̖e̤̟l̡͓d͈̹s̙͚ We Know."{ʲₒʰₙNYᵈₑᵉₚ}

User avatar
Astronymus
Science Officer
Posts: 146
Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:26 pm
AKA: Astro
Location: Northern Alps

Re: APOD: Meteor before Galaxy (2022 Aug 07)

Post by Astronymus » Sun Aug 14, 2022 9:07 am

johnnydeep wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 12:12 pm
Astronymus wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:43 am Hey, hey. Calm down. It was a suggestion, not a new theory. One would have to analyse many pictures to determine if it "could" be a pattern or just a coincidence. And as micrometeorites do... did rotate, that's known due their melting pattern, I wondered...
No worries. Hope you didn't take my remarks to be casting aspersions in your direction. That was not my intent. We're all friends here!
I didn't, you are safe. :wink: I just feared you others might begin to tear each other into pieces for this spontaneous idea of mine. I'm not here very often. :wink:
»Only a dead Earth is a good Earth.«

Post Reply