Bright Perseid Meteors Light Up Swedish Sky on August 12

A composite photo taken close to the coastal village of Grisslehamn, Sweden, shows two bright Perseid meteors and a reflected meteor trail set against the faint glow of the Milky Way. The display occurred at the height of the Perseid meteor shower, a phenomenon caused by particles shed from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle as Earth passes through its orbit. The meteors were nearly as luminous as Altair, the brightest star in the frame.

This year’s peak aligned with a New Moon, eliminating the usual glare that can dim meteor visibility. Many observers had already enjoyed the New Moon’s silhouette during a highly anticipated solar eclipse earlier that evening.