More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Images have captured the moment the Lyrid meteor shower crossed paths with Elon Musk's space programme across Kent last night.
Onlookers in Europe and the UK were stunned to see strange lights illuminating the sky as the annual meteor shower peaked.
Experts predicted the Lyrid meteor shower would be visible in Kent between midnight and dawn if skies stay clear.
One stargazer, Steven Sangster, took pictures of the impressive display at 3am in Orpington.
He posted the display on social media - which he believes shows a meteor heading towards Elon Musk's Starlink.
"Astronomy is the perfect lockdown activity and last night was one of the most interesting evenings in the calendar with the peak of the Lyrid meteors and a large Starlink pass at 9pm," he told KentOnline.
"Many of the latest phones enable you to take great pictures of the night sky and there are apps like Nightcap that help you capture something really special like this shooting star."
Meteors are chunks of debris which have broken away from celestial objects such as asteroids and comets. The Lyrid meteors have come from comet Thatcher, which last passed close to the sun in 1861.
When Earth comes into contact with the debris, its gravity sweeps up some of these objects and they pass into our atmosphere.
A chain of star-like lights also paraded across the sky last night which are part of Elon Musk's Space X programme, nicknamed Starlink.
The project aims to put thousands of small, low-orbit satellites above the Earth in order to improve internet service across the globe.
The meteor display will also be visible nearing the end of the month on April 30.
To get the best view, NASA suggests being “prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket or garden chair. Lie flat on your back with your feet facing east and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible.”
Relax and let your eyes adjust to the night sky while you wait for the showers to pass by.
Did you take pictures of the meteor shower or Starlink? Send them to bharper@thekmgroup.co.uk
