We have all seen images and videos that prove show how beautiful and magnificent the world truly is. But, if you are either perseverant or lucky, or both, you will get to experience it first hand, like Vimeo user Wes Eisenhauer did.
Eisenhauer was filming the Milky Way during a clear night in South Dakota for a time lapse video, when he noticed something colourful moving from the corner of his eye. While replaying the footage, he noticed the spectacular fireball meteor explosion.
The meteor, which can travel up to a speed of 50 miles per second, appeared to explode on reaching the Earth's atmosphere.
Fireball meteors don't come around often and seeing one explode and then capturing it on camera is thought to be incredibly rare. According to American Meteor Society, most fireball meteors occur over the oceans and uninhabited regions of Earth and a vast number of them are masked by daylight. Those that occur at night also stand little chance of being detected, which is why the video "Meteor explosion Milky Way Time Lapse" posted by Eisenhauer has become so popular.
Meteor explosion Milky Way Time Lapse. By: Wes Eisenhauer from wes eisenhauer on Vimeo.
Fireball meteors are generally brighter than magnitude -4, which is about the same magnitude of the planet Venus as seen in the morning or evening sky.
The American Meteor Society requests any person who spots fireball meteors to report their sightings in their online form, which will be shared among the Meteoritical Society, Meteorite and Impacts Advisory Committee and Fireball Data Center. Those reporting the event are encouraged to mention as much details about the meteor as possible, including its brightness, length across the sky, colour and duration.
Another video, "The Spinning Leaf", posted by photographer Eisenhauer records the movement of a beautiful red leaf hanging from a spider web and spinning, in choreographed movements to the background music.
