A rare celestial convergence captivated Luxembourg on Monday night as the northern lights and the Perseid meteor shower lit up the skies, offering stargazers an unforgettable double spectacle.
Whether in Grosbous or Graulinster, the sky came alive on Monday night as the aurora borealis appeared over the Grand Duchy, much to the joy of the country's stargazers. The natural light display coincided with the annual Perseid meteor shower, with shooting stars visible to the naked eye in the skies above Luxembourg.
The Perseids, one of the most famous meteor showers that can be seen from Earth, occur every year in July or August. The peak of this year took place between 11 and 13 August, but the meteor shower may still be visible from 17–24 August, depending on whether skies are clear. The Perseids were first observed in 36BC in China.
These shooting stars are nothing more than small pieces of dust from a comet that burn up in our atmosphere, whereas the aurora borealis, or northern lights, which also appeared on Monday night, are charged particles triggered by a solar storm. These particles penetrate the Earth's atmosphere to lighten it.
To see these two natural spectacles simultaneously, however, is a truly rare event.
Tom Demuth sent in this spectacular image from Grosbous
