Spectrum of a meteor (FORS1/VLT)

Spectrum of a bright meteor, as observed serendipitously by the multi-mode FORS 1 instrument on the ESO Very Large Telescope during the night of May 12-13, 2002, in front of a photo of the VLT enclosures and with a meteor trail inserted in the sky (montage). The position of the meteor trail on the narrow slit of FORS (not to scale) is also indicated. The lower panel shows the spectrum of the meteor, following removal of the supernova spectrum and before (up) and after (down) removal of the spectrum of the night sky by image processing. Several emission lines from colliding Oxygen and Nitrogen atoms (sharp emissions) and molecules (broad emissions) are visible.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso0424b
Type:Collage
Release date:30 July 2004
Related releases:eso0424
Size:2349 x 2077 px

About the Object

Name:Spectrum, Very Large Telescope
Type:Solar System : Interplanetary Body : Comet
Unspecified : Technology : Observatory : Telescope
Category:Solar System

Image Formats

Large JPEG
966.6 KB
Screensize JPEG
241.5 KB

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Infrared
Near-IR
975 nmVery Large Telescope
FORS1