From the dark alpine skies of Postalm in Austria, this composite captures dozens of Geminid meteors streaking through the winter Milky Way as Earth crossed the densest filaments of the stream. Radiating from Gemini near Orion, the meteors appear as fine, parallel lines because they are fragments of the asteroid 3200 Phaethon entering the atmosphere at about 35 kilometers per second. Unlike many showers produced by icy comets, the Geminids originate from a rocky parent body, which explains their dense, bright particles and their reputation for slow, luminous trails that often leave persistent ionized wakes.

The wide field reveals Orion, Taurus, and the Pleiades set against a star rich sky, giving geometric context to the shower’s radiant while the snow capped ridges anchor the scene on Earth. A composite like this merges many short exposures taken over the peak hours of activity, preserving the true sky background while accumulating the fleeting paths of individual meteors. The result is both scientifically informative and visually striking, showing how a narrow debris stream intersects our planet to paint brief, precise strokes across the celestial sphere.