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Dazzling shots of the 2015 Perseid meteor shower (pictures)

Often regarded as the best meteor shower of the year, the Perseids have been especially spectacular thanks to a mostly absent moon.

Eric Mack
Eric Mack has been a CNET contributor since 2011. Eric and his family live 100% energy and water independent on his off-grid compound in the New Mexico desert. Eric uses his passion for writing about energy, renewables, science and climate to bring educational content to life on topics around the solar panel and deregulated energy industries. Eric helps consumers by demystifying solar, battery, renewable energy, energy choice concepts, and also reviews solar installers. Previously, Eric covered space, science, climate change and all things futuristic. His encrypted email for tips is ericcmack@protonmail.com.
Eric Mack
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1 of 10 Oliver Berg/AFP/Getty Images

Perseids show off in 2015

A Perseid meteor sneaks past illuminated windmills near Gemuend, Germany. This shot was taken during the peak in activity of the annual meteor shower on August 13, 2015.

The phenomenon is a result of the Earth "shooting itself in the face" with comet debris as it passes through the cloud of space droppings left by Comet Swift-Tuttle.

Photo by Oliver Berg/AFP/Getty Images

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2 of 10 Andres Nieto Porras/Flickr

Under Spanish skies

This shot was captured near dusk in Mallorca, Spain, with a 30-second exposure. Special guest appearance by some local radio towers.

Photo by Andres Nieto Porras/Flickr

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3 of 10 Dirk Essl/Flickr

Circles and shooting stars

This shot taken in Bavaria was captured over the course of a 129-minute exposure.

Photo by Dirk Essl/Flickr

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4 of 10 reonides/Flickr

Sakura spirit

A 20-second exposure taken in Narusawa, Yamanashi, Japan.

Photo by reonides/Flickr

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5 of 10 Craig Rogers/Flickr

Milky meteors

Faint Perseids dance over the summit of Mam Tor in England's Peak District. The Milky Way looks on.

Photo by Craig Rogers/Flickr

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6 of 10 Philipp Eller/Flickr

Taking cover

A Perseid meteor seems to be looking for a hiding place behind the Swiss Alps.

Photo by Philipp Eller/Flickr

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7 of 10 Rayann Elzein

Stacked shooting stars

This image is actually a combination of 7 stacked pictures taken over a 20 minute span in the Netherlands.

"The position of the stars corresponds to the sky on the first picture. I rotated the other photos following the sky's movement, to show the radiant of the Perseids," explains photographer Rayann Elzein.

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8 of 10 Matthias Balk/AFP/Getty Images

Light for the lighthouse

Backlit by the Milky Way, a falling star crosses the night sky behind the lighthouse in Pilsum, Germany.

Photo by Matthias Balk/AFP/Getty Images

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9 of 10 Matej Divizna/Getty Images

Reach out and touch someone

A Perseid meteor streaks across the sky above the Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Science of the Czech Republic. August 12, 2015.

Photo by Matej Divizna/Getty Images

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10 of 10 Fredde Nilsson/Flickr

Shooting stars and sparks

A faint meteor near the top of this image from Sweden is overshadowed by the sparks happening below.

Photo by Fredde Nilsson/Flickr

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