UK Astrophotographer Captures Perseid Meteor Shower Illuminating Stonehenge

On 12 August 2024, NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) published a breathtaking photo captured by the UK-based astrophotographer Josh Dury.

This composite image showcases the Perseid meteor shower showering “shooting stars” above the iconic Stonehenge.

A Photo Of 43 Pieces

Dury spent three and a half hours on the monument grounds capturing the individual shots for his remarkable composite image. He then combined 43 separate exposures of shooting stars with a deep picture of the night sky, where the central band of the Milky Way arcs toward the horizon.

The panorama was created on the night of 9 August in Wiltshire, England.

Travelling Perseids In The Camera Lens

Although the meteors travelled in straight lines, they appear slightly curved due to the camera’s wide-angle lens. All the streaks point to a spot in the sky called the radiant, just above the top of the frame in Perseus’s constellation. A detailed image of the background shows the Milky Way’s central band running vertically through the centre of the picture.

Perseid Meteor Shower

The Perseid meteor shower peaks annually around mid-August. The Perseids are known for their high meteor production rates, often producing up to 100 meteors per hour at peak. They are especially appreciated by astronomers for their bright and fast-moving streaks across the night sky.

Stonehenge As A Photo Target

Stonehenge was built 5,000 years ago to align with the summer solstice sun. It is still one of the world’s most famous astronomical monuments and a prime target for astrophotographers worldwide. See how it looked illuminated by the Northern Lights in March here.