{
  "id": 9908023,
  "title": "APOD: 2026 September 26 – Mirrored Meteor and Milky Way",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/apod-2026-september-26-mirrored-meteor-and-milky-way",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-26T04:05:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "NASA Science",
    "slug": "nasa-science",
    "url": "https://science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-2026-september-26-mirrored-meteor-and-milky-way/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On September 26, 2026, the Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) featured a captivating image titled \"Mirrored Meteor and Milky Way.\" This striking photograph captured the brilliant and vibrant trail of a Perseid meteor streaking across the night sky above the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, Spain. The meteor's luminous path was juxtaposed against the vast expanse of the Milky Way, with its dark interstellar dust clouds and brilliant starlight glowing above the horizon.\n\nDominating the foreground of this mesmerizing scene was the 23-meter diameter mirror of the prototype Large-Sized Telescope (LST-1). LST-1 is the first telescope built at the northern hemisphere location of the innovative Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory. This cutting-edge telescope boasts 198 hexagonal mirror segments and a highly efficient, pixelated camera, designed to detect the fleeting, atmospheric visible light flashes known as Cherenkov radiation. These flashes, lasting mere billionths of a second, are triggered by high-energy gamma-rays originating from distant cosmic phenomena, such as active galaxies and gamma-ray bursts.\n\nInterestingly, during that fateful night, several LST-1 mirror segments also reflected the atmospheric flash of the spectacular Perseid meteor. The APOD's email for image submissions has been updated, and current submissions can be found at APOD Submissions. The main NASA site has transitioned, moving from apod.nasa.gov to science.nasa.gov/apod. The APOD is a collaborative effort led by experts at NASA/GSFC, Michigan Tech. U., and featuring content crafted by Jerry Bonnell, Cecilia Chirenti, Robert Nemiroff, and Keighley Rockcliffe.",
  "summary": "The post APOD: 2026 September 26 – Mirrored Meteor and Milky Way appeared first on NASA Science .",
  "key_points": [
    "Perseid meteor captured in APOD September 26, 2026",
    "23-meter LST-1 telescope mirror reflected meteor light",
    "Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory's first telescope"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The mirrored meteor image showcases the capabilities of the Large-Sized Telescope, highlighting its role in detecting brief atmospheric flashes, and cements its place within the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "NASA",
        "title": "APOD: 2026 September 26 – Mirrored Meteor and Milky Way",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/apod-2026-september-26-mirrored-meteor-and-milky-way-9914443",
        "published": "2026-09-26T04:05:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}