Tenerife is a great destination for astronomers and star gazers both expert and amateur. The clear, unpolluted air between the land and the heavens makes the island one of the best star gazing spots in Europe.
For tourists are regular tours to see the night sky in all its glory or those who wish to do it on their own need only make their way to the Moñtana Guajara or stay overnight at the Parador de Cañadas del Teide which even has its own telescope for the use of its guests.
Academics are also fascinated with the skies over Tenerife and there have been observatories here since the mid 19th century. A couple of weeks ago, astrophysicist and astrophotographer, Dr. Juergen Rendtel, was observing the sky over the Teide Observatory when he captured this extraordinary picture of a meteor with a ‘wiggle’. What caused the twist in the meteors tail?
Dr. Rendtel’s Explanation:
Did this meteor take a twisting path? No one is sure. Considered opinions are solicited. Meteors, usually sand sized grains that originate in comets, will typically disintegrate as they enter the Earth’s atmosphere. A fast moving meteor ionizes molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere that subsequently glow when they reacquire electrons. Meteor paths that twist noticeably have been noted before, and even photographed, but attributing such behavior to the motion of the meteor itself and neither the wind-blown meteor train nor the observer remains somewhat controversial.
The above meteor, imaged two weeks ago streaking over the Teide Observatory in Tenerife, Canary Islands, appears to swagger as much as several minutes of arc, which the experienced astrophotographer did not think could be attributed to drifting of the resulting train or motion of the camera mount.
If truly an indication of a twisted meteor path, an underlying reason could be the pictured meteor was markedly non-spherical in shape, non-uniform in composition, or electrically charged. Non-uniform meteors, for example, may evaporate more on one side than another, causing a rotating meteor to wobble. Understanding meteors is important partly because meteors are candidates to have seeded Earth with prebiotic molecules that allowed for the development of life.
Note that within Dr. Rendtel’s explanation there is an invitation to comment or submit your own opinions on what causes this enticing wiggle. You can do so by clicking through on that link.
The copyright for the meteor picture and the explanation belong to Dr. Juergen Rendtel and both have been republished her with his kind permission.No related posts.
