NASA Highlights Historic 2017 European Fireball Meteor Event

NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day recently revisited a significant fireball meteor event that occurred on November 14, 2017. Captured in a photograph from a mountain pass in Italy’s Dolomite Alps, the image shows a bright meteor streaking across the northern horizon above the village of La Villa. The fireball was visible across much of Europe and became one of the most frequently reported meteor events in the history of the American Meteor Society and the International Meteor Organization. Scientific analysis of the meteor’s trajectory over Germany indicates it originated from the Northern Taurid meteor shower. This annual shower is caused by debris left behind by Encke’s comet. The featured photograph, taken in subfreezing conditions, provides a clear visual record of the event as it appeared beneath the constellation Ursa Major.