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.

                                2025 July 23
      [2]A bright streak is pictured through a starry sky over a beach
   spotted with the husks of dead trees. The rollover shows the resulting
    smoke trail from the bright meteor. Moving the cursor over the image
   will bring up an annotated version. Clicking on the image will bring up
    the highest resolution version available. Please see the explanation
                       for more detailed information.

                         Fireball over Cape San Blas
                   Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Jason Rice

   Explanation: Have you ever seen a fireball? In astronomy, a [4]fireball
   is a very bright [5]meteor -- one at least as bright as [6]Venus and
   possibly brighter than even a full [7]Moon. [8]Fireballs are rare -- if
   you see one you are likely to [9]remember it for your whole life.
   Physically, a [10]fireball is a small rock that [11]originated from an
   [12]asteroid or [13]comet that typically leaves a fading smoke
   [14]trail of gas and dust as it shoots through the [15]Earth's
   atmosphere. It is unlikely that any single large ground strike occurred
   -- much of the rock likely vaporized as it broke up into many small
   pieces. The [16]featured picture was [17]captured last week from a
   deadwood beach in [18]Cape San Blas, [19]Florida, [20]USA.

           Piece it Back Together: [21]Astronomy Puzzle of the Day
                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
     __________________________________________________________________

      [22]< | [23]Archive | [24]Submissions | [25]Index | [26]Search |
   [27]Calendar | [28]RSS | [29]Education | [30]About APOD | [31]Discuss |
                                    [32]>
     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [33]Robert Nemiroff ([34]MTU) & [35]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([36]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [37]Specific rights apply.
            [38]NASA Web Privacy, [39]Accessibility, [40]Notices;
                A service of: [41]ASD at [42]NASA / [43]GSFC,
                         [44]NASA Science Activation
                           & [45]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2507/MeteorMilkyWay_Rice_2000.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/jriceastro/?hl=en
   4. https://www.amsmeteors.org/fireballs/faqf/
   5. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230306.html
   7. https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5415/
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230916.html
   9. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-scottish-fold-cat-head-600nw-1276621966.jpg
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211012.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231126.html
  12. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/asteroids/
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_nucleus
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190430.html
  15. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/atmosphere/
  16. https://www.instagram.com/p/DLa5D4sxVag/
  17. https://www.instagram.com/p/DLaPqFTRiAx/
  18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCQhTcFGiSE
  19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida
  20. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/united-states/
  21. https://www.scigames.org/apps/webjigsaw2/index.php
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250722.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  28. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  31. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250723
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250724.html
  33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  35. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  36. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  41. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  44. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  45. http://www.mtu.edu/