Dazzling Perseid Meteor Shower Photographed Above Stonehenge: “Window to Universe”

The Perseid meteor shower, one of the most eagerly awaited astronomical events each year, recently took place. Astrophotographer Josh Dury managed to capture this event in a remarkable image at Stonehenge, which he describes as a “window to the universe.” The striking composite image, created from dozens of photos taken over three hours on the night of August 9, showcases the meteor shower and the Milky Way glowing above the historic U.K. site.

“I always like to remember them as ancient fireworks because they are,” Dury explained to CBS News. “The Perseus meteor shower is created by one of the oldest objects in our solar system, comets… I thought, ‘this is such a pertinent narrative through that sense of mystery and time.'”

The composition, made up of 40 images over a limited time span, gained significant recognition by being featured as NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day on August 12. This is an honor that Dury expressed immense excitement about. “It’s insane,” he said. “In a career as a landscape astrophotographer, it can’t get any bigger than that.”

Dury’s passion for photographing the night sky has its roots in his childhood. He became enamored with the cosmos at the age of seven after watching the animated series “Biker Mice from Mars.”

“That just encapsulated my curiosity from such a young age for life on other worlds,” he recalled. “And if you imagine that we’re lucky enough to have this composition for life here on Earth, as astronomers, when we’re observing galaxies, nebulas, or star clusters, you can’t help but imagine thinking that there must be life somewhere out there in the universe. I believe that’s what drives people forward: the curiosity of what’s out there amongst the veil of darkness.”

Dury hopes that his viral photograph will inspire today’s youth in the same way he was inspired. He also aims to raise awareness about the importance of dark sky preserves and environmental conservation.

Artificial light presents a significant challenge for stargazing and enjoying the cosmos. However, the issue extends beyond obscuring a mystical experience; light pollution can also disrupt nocturnal wildlife and even human health.

“Our bodies produce melatonin at night for our sleep patterns. If we don’t protect the night, we’re almost creating a ticking time bomb by not having the right conditions,” Dury explained. “When we see dark sky places under threat more than ever before… the view of the night sky could well change within our lifetime.”

Dark sky preserves, which are protected areas with minimal light pollution, face threats as well. Recently, Canada’s Jasper National Park, the second-largest dark sky preserve globally, experienced its worst wildfire in a century.

“It’s so important to protect our environment, culture, and heritage,” Dury emphasized. He sees capturing such images as part of his mission to offer inspiring “windows to the universe.” “…That’s another reason why I take photographs, to inspire that next generation of 7-year-old youngsters like I was to look up at the night sky.”

Source: CBS News