2015 Perseids and northern lights over Oslo

What an incredible number of coincidences in one night! First of all a clear night – a rarity this summer! Add the first aurora borealis after the bright summer nights and a fireball into the mix, and you have the 2015 Perseids seen from inside the light pollution of Oslo!

2015 Perseids and northern lights over Oslo
A close-up of the biggest Perseid which appeared in the northwest at 01:19:39 local time.


At 11.5 seconds you will see a flash! It’s not from my flashlight, but a very bright fireball in the opposite direction. I was fortunate to see it from beginning to end, as I was lying on my back facing northeast. It was moving very low in the sky, from my vantage point barely above the treetops on the eastern hills.

It appeared at 01:50:38 local time and lasted close to 10 seconds! It was incredible, but not a Perseid meteor as it was moving from northeast to southwest – outside of the Perseid radiant. Hadn’t it been for the Perseids I would not have been out watching the skies for so long and not seen this amazing fireball.

Last updated on 8 November 2024