Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2025 August 2 [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. Fireflies, Meteors, and Milky Way Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Daniel Korona Explanation: Taken on July 29 and July 30, a registered and stacked series of exposures creates this [5]dreamlike view of a [6]northern summer night. Multiple firefly flashes streak across the foreground as the luminous Milky Way arcs above the horizon in the Sierra de Órganos national park of central Mexico, The collection of bright streaks aligned across the sky toward the upper left in the timelapse image are Delta Aquariid meteors . Currently active, the annual [7]Delta Aquarid meteor shower shares August nights though, overlapping with the better-known [8]Perseid meteor shower. This year that makes post-midnight, mostly moonless skies in early August very popular with late night skygazers. [9]How can you tell a Delta Aquariid from a Perseid meteor? The streaks of Perseid meteors can be traced back to an apparent radiant in the constellation Perseus. Delta Aquariids appear to emerge from the more southerly constellation Aquarius, beyond the top left of this frame. Of course, the bioluminescent flashes of fireflies are common too on these northern summer nights. But how can you tell a firefly from a meteor? [10]Just try to catch one. Tomorrow's picture: or ... __________________________________________________________________ [11]< | [12]Archive | [13]Submissions | [14]Index | [15]Search | [16]Calendar | [17]RSS | [18]Education | [19]About APOD | [20]Discuss | [21]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [22]Robert Nemiroff ([23]MTU) & [24]Jerry Bonnell ([25]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [26]Specific rights apply. [27]NASA Web Privacy, [28]Accessibility, [29]Notices; A service of: [30]ASD at [31]NASA / [32]GSFC, [33]NASA Science Activation & [34]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2508/DeltaAqrFireflies.jpg 3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 4. mailto: dakoko_minera at live dot com dot ar 5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110805.html 6. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/whats-up-august-2025-skywatching-tips-from-nasa/ 7. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/delta-aquariids/ 8. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/perseids/ 9. https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-delta-aquarid-meteor-shower/ 10. https://www.firefly.org/how-to-catch-fireflies.html 11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250801.html 12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 15. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 17. https://apod.com/feed.rss 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 20. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250802 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250803.html 22. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 23. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 24. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 25. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 27. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 28. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 29. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 30. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 31. https://www.nasa.gov/ 32. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 33. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 34. http://www.mtu.edu/