Meteors star in sky spectacular

A giant cactus in the Arizona desert is illuminated by one of nature's most spectacular fireworks displays as the Leonid meteor storm passes over.

Tens of thousands in America, eastern Asia and Australia stayed up to witness the light show. Many meteors appeared as brief flashes or streaks in the sky, similar to shooting stars. But some left a brilliant trail with areas of Arizona and central Japan seeing up to 3,000 flashes an hour.

Leonid meteors, so-called because they appear to come from the same part of the sky as the constellation Leo, fall to Earth each November.

Astronomers had predicted this year's show would be exceptionally dramatic because Earth is travelling close to three paths of cosmic dust and debris left by the comet Tempel-Tuttle's previous trips around the sun.

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