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Most meteors during this storm were faint, about 5th magnitude. However, there were quite a few bright ones. Meteors rivaling the brightest stars and planets are called fireballs. Once the light display from a fireball ends, there is often a smoky residue called a train left behind. Trains twist around in Earth's upper atmosphere until they fade from view. This photo captures the last remnants of a train from a fireball which shot through Cassiopeia. It's been twisted into a bird-like shape.
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Revised: March 23, 2002 [WDF]