Geminid Meteor Over Nepal

Above lights of the Bhaktapur Durbar Square in Nepal, a meteor streaks the sky next to the stars of Orion during the peak of Geminid Meteor shower. Geminids are usually so bright and active that you can see dozens of them from the cities. Bhaktapur Durbar Square is the plaza in front of the royal palace of the old Bhaktapur Kingdom. It is one of three Durbar Squares in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The image was captured after the 2015 Nepal 8.1Ms earthquake. The famous Vatsala Devi temple was demolished in this view. Click the second photo to see the scene before the earthquake by TWAN photographer Oshin Zakarian who imaged the place in 2009.