This incredible picture shows a huge meteor hurtling to Earth during the annual Geminid meteor shower.
Astro-photogrpaher Wally Pacholk captured this amazing shot in the Mojave Desert area near Victorville under a dark and almost clear sky.
The annual cosmic fireworks have been growing in intensity in recent decades with up to 160 meteors visible per hour under optimal conditions. They travel across the sky at about 22miles per second and are fairly easy to spot.
A huge meteor hurtles to Earth during the annual Geminid meteor shower. The picture was taken from the Mojave Desert area near Victorville
Viewing conditions were particularly good this year because it peaked on Monday morning two days before a new Moon.
They are best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere although you can see up to 20 meteors per hour near the horizon in the Southern Hemisphere.
Mr Pacholka is an accountant by day and an award-winning astro-photographer at night. His shots have been used both by Nasa and National Geographic.
'I just love the night sky,' he said.
'Even as a teenager, I'd be out all hours of the night searching. My friends and family would ask me, "Why?"
'So I started taking pictures of the night sky to show them what they were missing.'
