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Perched on a towering mountain in Hawaii, the Subaru Telescope is a remarkable observatory capable of capturing visible light and heat waves. On August 12 and 13, this telescope captured an extraordinary event – the Perseid meteor shower along with a procession of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites.

The telescope recorded 15 distinct dots moving across the night sky at astonishing speeds. These dots were actually the Starlink satellites, which coincidentally appeared alongside the meteor shower, creating a captivating spectacle. Despite resembling extraterrestrial objects, these satellites were simply part of the constellation of Starlink satellites launched by SpaceX.

Netizens who witnessed the video of this celestial event were awestruck by the combined presence of the meteor shower and the satellites, which illuminated the night sky. The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) posted a video on YouTube showcasing the 15 SpaceX (Starlink) satellites observed from the Subaru Telescope on August 12, 2023.

The Subaru Telescope is located on a Hawaiian mountain to take advantage of its strategic position, enabling it to capture even the faintest traces of light from space. With its large mirror, one of the largest in the world, the telescope has honed its ability to perceive distant objects.

The Perseid meteor shower is caused by debris left behind by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. When this debris interacts with the Earth’s outer atmosphere, it creates a dazzling display of meteors. NASA confirms that this celestial phenomenon occurs as a result of the interaction between space debris and our planet’s outer atmosphere.

The Perseid meteor shower occurs annually between August 12 and 13, reaching its peak after completing a 133-year orbit around the Sun. These meteors travel at an astounding speed of 60 kilometers per second, making them visible to the naked eye or through a telescope during the months of mid-July to late August. It is truly a remarkable natural phenomenon to behold.

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