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.

                               2026 August 18
     [2]A starfield is bounded by trees on three sides and a pond on the
      bottom. Amongst the stars are many streaks of light appearing to
   emanate from a place on the sky just above a foreground bridge. Please
             see the explanation for more detailed information.

                            Perseids from Perseus
                 Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Jakub Kuřák

   Explanation: This was a good year for the [4]Perseids meteor shower. A
   key reason was [5]the Moon was absent from lighting up [6]Earth's night
   sky so that [7]more meteors were visible than usual. Where was the
   Moon? It was busy [8]visiting the Sun. Near the Perseids peak, the Moon
   moved directly in front of the Sun and created a total [9]solar eclipse
   visible from [10]Greenland and [11]Spain. The [12]Perseids occur when
   the Earth collides with a [13]stream of Sun-orbiting debris cast off by
   [14]Comet Swift-Tuttle. Perseid meteors, although typically only the
   size of a [15]sand grain, tend to be fast and bright because
   Swift-Tuttle's debris orbits [16]the Sun in a [17]direction partly
   opposite Earth's orbital motion. In the [18]featured image compilation,
   accumulated over several nights from [19]Jizerka in the [20]Czech
   Republic, the Perseids meteor streaks can be traced back to a single
   location on the sky -- its [21]radiant in [22]Perseus.

                 Gallery: [23]Perseids Meteor Shower of 2026
                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [35]Robert Nemiroff ([36]MTU) & [37]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([38]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [39]Specific rights apply.
            [40]NASA Web Privacy, [41]Accessibility, [42]Notices;
                A service of: [43]ASD at [44]NASA / [45]GSFC,
                         [46]NASA Science Activation
                           & [47]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2608/Perseids_karuk_3000.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/jakubkurak/
   4. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/perseids/
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220612.html
   6. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/whats-up-august-2026-skywatching-tips-from-nasa/
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240812.html
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170920.html
   9. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/eclipse-snap/en/
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260814.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260813.html
  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseids
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240811.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240808.html
  15. https://www.whoi.edu/ocean-learning-hub/ocean-facts/how-is-beach-sand-created/
  16. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/
  17. https://static.vecteezy.com/system/resources/thumbnails/072/246/507/small/two-playful-puppies-having-fun-in-a-sunny-garden-showcasing-their-energy-and-joy-together-photo.jpeg
  18. https://www.instagram.com/p/DcDiPkTO_me/
  19. https://youtu.be/we1CzbCIdRQ
  20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_Republic
  21. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiant_(meteor_shower)
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250812.html
  23. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1048378281224082&type=3
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260817.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  30. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  33. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260818
  34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260819.html
  35. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/department/faculty/nemiroff/
  36. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/
  37. https://inspirehep.net/authors/1073087
  38. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  39. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  43. https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/astrophysics/
  44. https://www.nasa.gov/
  45. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  46. https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/
  47. http://www.mtu.edu/