Creature Aurora Over Norway

2018-11-18

Astronomy Photo of the Day
copyright: Ole C. Salomonsen (Arctic Light Photo)

It was Halloween and the sky looked like a creature. Exactly which creature, the astrophotographer was unsure but (possibly you can suggest one). Exactly what caused this eerie apparition in 2013 was sure: one of the best auroral displays in recent years. This spectacular aurora had an unusually high degree of detail. Pictured here, the vivid green and purple auroral colors are caused by high atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen reacting to a burst of incoming electrons. Birch trees in Troms�, Norway formed an also eerie foreground. Recently, new photogenic auroras have accompanied new geomagnetic storms.



Don't like this one? Enter a date and check out a different photo.

     

How about a random one?

Random

Some of my favorites:

Sombrero Galaxy M100 Galaxy Rosette Nebula Saturn NGC 2841 Aurora Horsehead Nebula Pillars of Creation Comet Europa Jupiter Earthrise Galaxy Merger