APOD: A Colorful Quadrantid Meteor (2021 Feb 02)

[Chris Peterson]

Thank you all for your comments and observations about the direction of the train (or is it trail?). I’m glad others found it an interesting question too.

Both a trail and a train. The trail is the path we see from the glowing meteoroid. The train is its afterglow of ionized gases, as well as any visible dust. Because this is a long exposure, the trail and the train largely overlap, so we can't tell what's what, except for the stuff that's blown to the side.

[neufer]

Thank you all for your comments and observations about the direction of the train (or is it trail?).

Both a trail and a train. The trail is the path we see from the glowing meteoroid. The train is its afterglow of ionized gases, as well as any visible dust. Because this is a long exposure, the trail and the train largely overlap, so we can't tell what's what, except for the stuff that's blown to the side.

trail (n.) early 14c., "trailing part of a robe, gown, etc.," from trail (v.). The meaning "track or smell left by a person or animal" is also from 1580s. Meaning "path or track worn in wilderness" is attested from 1807. Trail of Tears in reference to the U.S. government's brutally incompetent Cherokee removal of 1838-9 is attested by 1908.
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train (n.) early 14c., "a drawing out, delay;" late 14c., "trailing part of a skirt, gown, or cloak;" also "retinue, procession," from Old French train "tracks, path, trail (of a rome or gown); act of dragging," from trainer "to pull, drag, draw," from Vulgar Latin *traginare, extended from *tragere "to pull," back-formation from tractus, past participle of Latin trahere "to pull, draw". General sense of "series, progression, succession, continuous course" is from late 15c.

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