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Credit & Copyright: J. Curtis
(U. Alaska Fairbanks)
Explanation:
What's happening behind those trees?
Aurora. This picture was taken at midnight near
Fairbanks,
Alaska,
and captures familiar trees,
common clouds, and a glowing sky markedly different than a
sunset. Particularly strange is the green
auroral ring caused by ionized
oxygen high in the
Earth's atmosphere.
The small water droplets composing clouds reflect and absorb
aurora light, giving clouds a reddish tinge.
The above picture was taken on September 20th of last year.
In the next few years the
Sun will reach the most active part of its 11 year cycle, meaning more
puffs of
high energy solar particles will be released,
and more
spectacular auroras
will occur when these
particles strike the Earth.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: aurora
Publications with words: aurora
See also:
- Aurora Australis and the International Space Station
- APOD: 2024 June 26 Á Timelapse: Aurora, SAR, and the Milky Way
- APOD: 2024 June 12 Á Aurora over Karkonosze Mountains
- APOD: 2024 May 20 Á Aurora Dome Sky
- Aurora Banks Peninsula
- APOD: 2024 January 14 Á Dragon Aurora over Iceland
- APOD: 2024 January 3 Á A SAR Arc from New Zealand