Meteor Over Morocco Captured in Stunning Photo
This stunning skywatching image shows the night sky above the High Atlas mountains in sub-Saharan Morocco.
Astrophotographer Jason Matias took this image in July 2014. The closest city to this night sky spot is Zagora, Morocco.
"Couldn't have asked for a better placement. We rode camels into the desert, set up camp, then all of us dragged our bedding out into the sand and watched shooting stars all night long," Matias wrote in an email to Space.com.
Meteor showers occur when dust or particles from asteroids or comets, enter Earth's atmosphere at high speeds. Upon hitting the atmosphere, meteors rub against air particles and create friction, heating the meteors to more than 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat vaporizes most meteors, creating what we call shooting stars (usually visible at around 60 miles up).
To see more amazing night sky photos submitted by Space.com readers, visit our astrophotography archive.
Editor's Note: This article was updated on Aug. 15, 2014. If you have an amazing night sky photo you'd like to share for a possible story or image gallery, please contact managing editor Tariq Malik at spacephotos@space.com.
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