Photographer Josh Dury had an extraordinary experience during the peak of the Perseid meteor shower on August 12 and 13. While aiming to capture the meteor shower’s spectacle, Dury’s camera captured a truly mesmerizing celestial symphony. His breathtaking image not only showcases the Perseid meteors raining down across the sky but also reveals the vibrant Northern Lights, a rare atmospheric glow known as an SAR arc, and even the Andromeda and Triangulum galaxies.
“To think that so much is going on in the astronomical scene that evening with the Andromeda and Triangulum galaxies also visible, makes this definitely a once-in-a-lifetime photograph,” Dury shared with Space.com. Dury strategically chose Corfe Castle, a historic site in England, as the backdrop for his photograph. He had previously captured stunning images of the aurora borealis during a geomagnetic storm at the same location, making this spot a familiar and favored spot for his astrophotography pursuits.
Dury, with his expertise and anticipation, was well-prepared for the Perseid meteor shower. While he hoped for a glimpse of the Northern Lights, he was initially unaware of the surprise that awaited him. Over three and a half hours, Dury diligently captured 50 sub-exposures of the meteor shower radiating from the constellation Perseus, the namesake of the shower. Then, as if orchestrated by the cosmos itself, the sky erupted in a vibrant spectacle.
“When taking the photograph, I had no anticipation that the Northern Lights would be visible. I gave it a go,” Dury said. “To my surprise, however, my phone began to go off with notifications for potential aurora. Moments later on camera, I was able to photograph the northern lights as the meteor shower was taking place,” he explained. This was just the beginning of the night’s wonders.
Upon reviewing his images, Dury discovered another hidden gem – a Stable Auroral Red (SAR) arc. This elusive phenomenon, only visible through cameras, is a deep red band of light that occurs high in the atmosphere. The image also revealed the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and the fainter Triangulum Galaxy (M33), adding to the cosmic tapestry captured by Dury’s camera.
The Perseid meteor shower is an annual celestial event that occurs when Earth passes through debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle. As this debris enters Earth’s atmosphere, it burns up, creating the dazzling streaks of light we call meteors. The shower peaks in mid-August when Earth passes through the densest part of the debris trail.
The Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis, are a mesmerizing display of light caused by charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth’s atmosphere. These particles are guided by Earth’s magnetic field towards the poles, where they excite atoms in the atmosphere, causing them to glow.
SAR arcs, a relatively recent discovery, are elusive red bands of light that appear in the subauroral region. They are associated with strong geomagnetic storms and are thought to be caused by heat energy leaking from Earth’s ring current system.
Dury’s remarkable photograph serves as a powerful reminder of the breathtaking beauty and complexity of our universe. It showcases the ephemeral nature of celestial events and the incredible wonders that await those who take the time to observe and appreciate them. The image is a testament to Dury’s skill as a photographer and his dedication to capturing the wonders of the night sky.
