High-Flying Balloon With On-Board Camera To Broadcast Web Images Of Perseids Meteors

Scientists from the Space Sciences Department at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will launch a weather balloon to 100,000 feet about 2 a.m. either Aug. 12 or 13 from Marshall’s Atmospheric Research Facility, depending on weather conditions. The balloon will carry a digital camera that will provide a clearer view of the Perseids Meteor Shower. The Perseids meteors are leftover rubble from the comet Swift-Tuttle. The meteors streak across the sky, sometimes exploding as multicolored fireballs as they burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Scientific experiments will be carried on the balloon in an attempt to collect particles from the stratosphere during the meteor shower, some possibly from the Perseids themselves. Several different types of capture media and devices will be employed.

Media are invited to witness the balloon launch and can obtain updates on launch times and additional information by contacting Steve Roy with Marshall’s Media Relations Department at (256) 544-6535.

Continuous video images of the meteors from the on-board camera will be available online at the Space Sciences Website at: http://www.perseidslive.com

For an electronic version of this advisory or more information, visit Marshall’s News Center Website at:http://www.msfc.nasa.gov/news