Perseid Meteors over Ancient Volcanoes
https://epod.usra.edu/blog/2024/02/perseid-meteors-over-ancient-volcanoes.html
Photographer: Tomas Slovinsky
Summary Author: Tomas Slovinsky
In August of last year, I was able to capture the most famous annual meteor shower, the Perseids, from Teide National Park in the Canary Islands. The volcano Pico del Teide (12,188 feet or 3,715 m) can be seen in the background at left. On the right, in the foreground, is the well-known rock formations of Roques de Garcia.
It’s believed that volcanic activity on what is now the Canary Islands was initiated during the Miocene and Pliocene. Teide and Pico Viejo (partially concealed in the background at right) formed within the Las Cañadas caldera some 160,00 years ago. The Roques de Garcia is the only remnant of the massive rock wall that once separated the two ancient volcanoes. Today, these bizarre rock formations, formed by erosion from wind and rain over tens of thousands of years, are a popular stop for tourists.
The Milky Way crosses the sky from upper left to lower center, with Jupiter shining brightly at lower right. With a dark night sky and meteors overhead, this view from Teide National Park turned out to be epic! Photo taken on August 13, 2023.
Pico del Teide, Canary Islands, Spain Coordinates: 28.2723, -16.6425
Related Links:
Big Dipper over Roques de Garcia
Volcanic Geoheritage in Canary Islands