Photos by Thad V'Soske / Meteors

It used to be that when I saw a meteor flash across the night sky I would look up, smile, and quietly say "Thank You" for the visual treat from space. From now on, when a bright meteor blazes across the sky, I will pause to pay my respects to the astronauts of the Space Shuttle Columbia, whose crew of 7 brave men and women lost their lives during re-entry on the morning of February 1, 2003.

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Night Sky Images
© Thad V'Soske - All rights reserved

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A 2002 Leonid near the meteor shower's radiant in the constellation of Leo in very bright moonlight as seen from west of Anza-Borrego State
Park, California, on 11/19/2002.

A 2002 Leonid meteor above the rugged dessert terrain in very bright moonlight as seen from west of Anza-Borrego State
Park, California, on 11/19/2002.

This photo appeared on SpaceWeather

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A 2002 Leonid meteor blazing above Ursa Major (the Big Dipper) in very bright moonlight as seen from west of Anza-Borrego State
Park, California, on 11/19/2002.

A 2002 Leonid meteor as seen near the constellation Cassiopeia in very bright moonlight as seen from west of Anza-Borrego State
Park, California, on 11/19/2002.
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This image was featured as photo of the week on CNN's Space Chronicles Gallery, 8/14/2002 to 8/20/2002 and it appeared on SpaceWeather. It was also featured on the Utah Skies Weekly Report for 8/16/2002.

A 2002 Perseid passes a prominent star (Delta Cygnus) in the
constellation Cygnus as seen from west of Anza-Borrego State
Park, California, on 08/12/2002.

This photo appeared on SpaceWeather.

A 2002 Perseid passes through the constellation Hercules
as seen from west of Anza-Borrego State Park,
California, on 08/12/2002.
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A 2002 Perseid zips by the constellation Cassiopeia
as seen from west of Anza-Borrego State Park,
California, on 08/12/2002.

A 2002 Perseid runs almost parallel to the Milky Way and in front of
the star Delta Cygnus as seen from west of Anza-Borrego State Park,
California, on 08/12/2002.
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A 2002 Perseid passes near Polaris (the North Star) during morning twilight
as seen from west of Anza-Borrego State Park, California, on 08/12/2002.

A 2001 Geminid crosses the trails of stars in the northern sky
as seen from west of Anza-Borrego State Park, California, on 12/13/2001.

This photo appeared on CNN and on SpaceWeather
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A 2001 Geminid cuts right through the center of Orion's belt
as seen from west of Anza-Borrego State Park, California, on 12/13/2001.
This photo appeared on SpaceWeather.

Various iterations of this image have also appeared in Sky & Telescope magazine and Science@NASA

A 2001 Geminid drops down to the horizon of this southern star-trail
as seen from west of Anza-Borrego State Park, California, on 12/13/2001.
Orion is at the top right. Canis Major and the very bright star Sirius
are just left of center. The meteor points to the star Canopus.
This photo appeared on Earth Science Picture of the Day
and on SpaceWeather.
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Two 2001 Geminids pass above and below the constealltion Orion
as seen from west of Anza-Borrego State Park, California, on 12/13/2001.
This photo appeared on SpaceWeather.

2001 Leonid meteor zips between Sirius and Orion as seen from Mt. Laguna, California.
(The camera unexpectedly moved during this guided exposure.
There is only one meteor visible in this shot while all the other objects are trailed stars)
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2001 Leonid meteors race towards Ursa Minor (the Little Dipper) and Polaris as seen from Mt. Laguna, California.

2001 Leonid meteors fall in the general direction of Orion as seen from Mt. Laguna, California.
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2001 Leonid meteors streaking away from Leo as seen from Mt. Laguna, California.

Several 2001 Leonid meteors (annotated image) radiating from Leo as seen from Mt. Laguna, California.
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Several 2001 Leonid meteors (one fireball with smoke trail) radiating from Leo as seen from Mt. Laguna, California.

2001 Leonid meteors (annotated image) with a smoke trail drifting from the bright fireball as seen from Mt. Laguna, California.
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2001 Leonid meteor streaking towards Orion as seen from Mt. Laguna, California.

2001 Leonid meteor points towards Polaris (the North Star) as seen from Mt. Laguna, California.
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2001 Leonid meteor (annotated image) approaches Ursa Major, the Big Dipper, as seen from Mt. Laguna, California.

Meteor crossing Ursa Major (the Big Dipper) during the 1999 Leonids from Mt. Laguna, California.
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© Thad V'Soske - All rights reserved