The annual Perseid meteor shower happens when Earth crosses paths with the debris left by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. This event reached its peak overnight and coincided with a new moon, creating excellent stargazing conditions as the absence of moonlight allowed for clearer views. Witness the spectacular shooting stars below.
In the Negev Desert, near Mitzpe Ramon, Israel, early Thursday, streaks of Perseid meteors lit up the sky over Mount Ramon. Over in Croatia, at Visnjan Observatory on Wednesday evening, observers marveled at a meteor streaking across the night sky.
In North Macedonia, near Kratovo, early Thursday, a meteor streaked across the sky above the Stone Dolls of Kuklica. Meanwhile, in Serbia, people gathered at Mount Avala near Belgrade around the Monument to the Unknown Hero to witness the Perseid meteor shower.
In southern Bosnia-Herzegovina, a meteor streaked across the night sky above the megalithic stone walls of the ancient Illyrian city of Daorson near Stolac. From Jacobsdorf, Germany, during the Perseid meteor shower on Wednesday, a meteor with a green tail and two satellite streaks were visible.
On the coast near Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq in Malta, a Perseid meteor streaked across the night sky behind St. Mark’s Tower, a 17th-century coastal fortification. The images captured the awe-inspiring beauty of the meteor shower event on a global scale.