Arrows of light visible in the summer night sky

Arrows of light visible in the summer night sky

Meteors from the Perseid Meteor Shower, which appear at a low point in the sky. (12:23 a.m. August 13, Kesashi, Higashi Village. Photo by John Matsumoto)


August 13, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo

Mention of the Perseid Meteor Shower conjures up images of the night sky in summer. The meteor shower was at its peak from late night on August 12 until just before dawn on August 13. The meteors leaving trails as they streaked across the night sky were even seen in every region of Okinawa.

In the mountains of Higashi Village, where the sky is unpolluted by light from town, the sky was fortunately clear. Meteors could be seen racing past the Milky Way, forming fuzzy, white belts across the sky. From approximately 10 p.m. on August 12 until 1 a.m. on August 13, dozens of meteors could be seen with the naked eye.

Tamaki Nakajima, a photographer based in Naha, photographed the meteors running north to south, as though tunneling through the center of the Milky Way, at 10:30 p.m. on August 12 from his spot on Gushichan Beach in Yaese Town.

Nakajima says, “I was taking photos with two cameras at the same time. When I got this shot of the meteors, I couldn’t contain my awe.”

The Perseid Meteor Shower should be clearest in the night sky until just before dawn on August 14.

Meteors from the Perseid Meteor Shower cross the sky near the Milky Way (Left) (11:20 p.m., August 12, Kesashi, Higashi Village. Photo by John Matsumoto)

Meteors from the Perseid Meteor Shower appearing to tunnel through the Milky Way (Photo by Tamaki Nakajima) (10:30 p.m., August 12, Gushichan Beach, Yaese Town)

The Milky Way and meteors, photographed with a fisheye lens (Photo by Tamaki Nakajima) (10:30 p.m., August 12, Gushichan Beach, Yaese Town)

(English translation by T&CT and Ellen Huntley)

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