从太空看武仙T流星雨

2022年6月4日

Tau Herculids from Space
Image Credit & Copyright: Zhuoxiao Wang, Yangwang-1 Space Telescope, Origin.Space

Explanation: On May 31 tens of parallel meteor streaks were recorded in this 8 degree wide field of view of planet Earth’s limb from space. The image is one of a series of 5 minute long observations by the orbiting Yangwang-1 space telescope. It was captured at 03:43 UT, near the peak of the Tau Herculid meteor shower. As predicted, the meteor shower was an active one this year, caused as Earth swept through a relatively dense stream of debris from disintegrating Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, but was lacking bright meteors. Nearly all of the Tau Herculid meteors in the Yangwang-1 image are too faint to be detected by groundbased instruments. But on that date patient earthbound skywatchers under clear skies still enjoyed a memorable showing of the Tau Herculids.

Tomorrow’s picture: gravity’s dance

从太空看武仙T流星雨
影像提供与版权: Zhuoxiao Wang, Yangwang-1 Space Telescope, Origin.Space

说明: 在这片从太空侧视地球临边、宽约8度的视野里，可见到5月31日洒向地球的数十颗流星之平行光痕。这幅影像，是轨道上的仰望一号太空望远镜所记录的一系列5分钟长曝光照片之一。影像取像的时间点是03:43 UT，在武仙T流星雨的极大期附近。正如预测的，随着地球穿过崩解彗星73P/施瓦斯曼-瓦赫曼3留下的较密集碎片流，这群流星雨今年相当活跃，只不过明亮的流星缺如。而现身于这幅仰望一号影像的武仙T流星，大多是地面仪器无法测到的暗流星。然而在那天清朗的夜空下，有足够耐心的地面观星者，仍然观赏到令人难忘的武仙T流星雨演出。

明日的图片: gravity’s dance