Orionid Meteor above Alamut

During the peak night of the Orionid meteor shower this “shooting star” is captured over Alamut Castle in Iran. The moonlight through the fast moving clouds gave a dramatic sense to this black and white image. Orionids is a meteor shower associated with Halley’s Comet and its peak happens annually around October 20. The mountain fortress of Alamut (2160 m) in the central Alborz Mountains was built into the rock in the 9th century. The name means Eagle’s Nest. Home of the legendary Assassins, Alamut was also historically a center for libraries and education. For a time, it was the residence of important 13th century Persian scholar and astronomer Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (or simply known as Tusi). Click on the second photo to see a day-time view of the castle.