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2026 March 8

The Aurora Tree
* Image Credit & Copyright: Alyn Wallace
https://alynwallacephotography.com/

Explanation:
Yes, but can your tree do this? Pictured is a visual coincidence between the dark branches of a nearby tree and bright glow of a distant aurora. The beauty of the aurora -- combined with how it seemed to mimic a tree right nearby -- mesmerized the photographer to such a degree that he momentarily forgot to take pictures. When viewed at the right angle, it seemed that this tree had aurora for leaves. Fortunately, before the aurora morphed into a different overall shape, he came to his senses and captured the awe-inspiring momentary coincidence. Typically triggered by solar explosions, aurora are caused by high energy electrons impacting the Earth's atmosphere around 150 kilometers up. The unusual Earth-sky collaboration was witnessed in March of 2017 in Iceland.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150525.html
https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/
https://www.mathsisfun.com/rightangle.html
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap161031.html
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap161023.html
https://blogmais.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/imagem_ht_07-04-23.jpg
https://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/CMEs.shtml
http://history.aip.org/exhibits/electron/jjelectr.htm
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-atmosphere/earths-atmosphere-a-multi-layered-cake/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260308.html

#space #earth #aurora #astrophotography #photography #NASA #science #physics #nature #education #apod #4sAur

2026 January 1

Auroral Corona
* Image Credit & Copyright: Roi Levi
https://app.astrobin.com/u/roi#gallery

Explanation:
Cycle 25 solar maximum made 2025 a great year for aurora borealis (or aurora australis) on planet Earth. And the high level of solar activity should extend into 2026. So, while you're celebrating the arrival of the new year, check out this spectacular auroral display that erupted in starry night skies over Kirkjufell, Iceland. The awesome auroral corona, energetic curtains of light streaming from directly overhead, was witnessed during a strong geomagnetic storm triggered by intense solar activity near the March 2025 equinox. This northland and skyscape captures the evocative display in a 21 frame panoramic mosaic.
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/solar-cycle-progression
https://www.mtu.edu/tour/copper-country/northern-lights/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/54644014628/in/album-72177720319898071
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231125.html
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/geomagnetic-storms

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260101.html

#space #earth #aurora #astrophotography #photography #NASA #science #physics #nature #education #apod #4sAur

2023 November 17

Nightlights in Qeqertaq
* Image Credit & Copyright: Dennis Lehtonen
https://denniina.com/

Explanation:
Light pollution is usually not a problem in Qeqertaq. In western Greenland the remote coastal village boasted a population of 114 in 2020. Lights still shine in its dark skies though. During planet Earth's recent intense geomagnetic storm, on November 6 these beautiful curtains of aurora borealis fell over the arctic realm. On the eve of the coming weeks of polar night at 70 degrees north latitude, the inspiring display of northern lights is reflected in the waters of Disko Bay. In this view from the isolated settlement a lone iceberg is illuminated by shore lights as it drifts across the icy sea.
https://denniina.com/gallery/23-24
https://www.instagram.com/p/CzVRGZlMyu_/
https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/polar-night.html
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/thinning-of-the-northeast-greenland-ice-stream-150801/

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/fap/ap251212.html

#space #earth #aurora #astrophotography #photography #NASA #science #physics #nature #education #4sAur

2025 December 12

Northern Fox Fires
* Image Credit & Copyright: Dennis Lehtonen
https://denniina.com/

Explanation:
In a Finnish myth, when an arctic fox runs so fast that its bushy tail brushes the mountains, flaming sparks are cast into the heavens creating the northern lights. In fact the Finnish word "revontulet", a name for the aurora borealis or northern lights, can be translated as fire fox. So that evocative myth took on a special significance for the photographer of this northern night skyscape from Finnish Lapland near Kilpisjarvi Lake. The snowy scene is illuminated by moonlight. Saana, an iconic fell or mountain of Lapland, rises at the right in the background. But as the beautiful nothern lights danced overhead, the wild fire fox in the foreground enthusiastically ran around the photographer and his equipment, making it difficult to capture in this lucky single shot.
https://aurora-nights.co.uk/aurora-academy/what-are-the-northern-lights/sami-view-of-the-northern-lights/
https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251212.html

#space #earth #aurora #astrophotography #photography #NASA #science #physics #nature #education #4sAur #apod

2025 November 14

Florida Northern Lights
* Image Credit & Copyright: Samil Cabrera
https://www.instagram.com/astronycc/

Explanation:
Northern lights have come to Florida skies. In fact, the brilliant streak of a Northern Taurid meteor flashes through the starry night sky above the beach in this sea and skyscape, captured from Shired Island, Florida on November 11. Meteors from the annual Northern Taurid meteor shower are expected this time of year. But the digital camera exposure also records the shimmering glow of aurora, a phenomenon more often seen from our fair planet's higher geographical latitudes. Also known as aurora borealis, these northern lights are part of recent, wide spread auroral activity caused by strong geomagnetic storms. In the last few days, stormy spaceweather has been triggered by multiple Earth impacting coronal mass ejections and intense solar activity.
https://spaceweathergallery2.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=228413
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/g3-strong-geomagnetic-storming-continues-g4-severe-still-expected
https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/taurid-meteors-all-you-need-to-know/
https://earthsky.org/sun/sun-news-activity-solar-flare-cme-aurora-updates/

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251114.html

#space #earth #aurora #astrophotography #photography #NASA #science #physics #nature #education #4sAur #apod

2011 March 25

Auroral Substorm over Yellowknife
* Image Credit & Copyright: Kwon, O Chul
https://twanight.org/profile/kwon-o-chul/

Explanation:
Intense auroral activity flooded the night with shimmering colors on February 24, captured here from a lodge near the city of Yellowknife in northern Canada. The stunning sequence (left to right) of three all-sky exposures, taken at 30 second intervals, shows rapid changes in dancing curtains of northern lights against a starry background. What makes the northern lights dance? Measurements by NASA's fleet of THEMIS spacecraft indicate that these explosions of auroral activity are driven by sudden releases of energy in the Earth's magnetosphere called magnetic reconnection events. The reconnection events release energy when magnetic field lines snap like rubber bands, driving charged particles into the upper atmosphere. Stretching into space, these reconnection events occur in the magnetosphere on the Earth's night side at a distance about 1/3 of the way to the Moon.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110325.html

#space #earth #aurora #astrophotography #photography #NASA #science #physics #nature #education #4sAur

2015 February 13

Aurora on Ice
* Image Credit & Copyright: Stéphane Vetter (Nuits sacrées)
http://www.nuitsacrees.fr/

Explanation:
Not from a snowglobe, this expansive fisheye view of ice and sky was captured on February 1, from Jökulsárlón Beach, southeast Iceland, planet Earth. Chunks of glacial ice on the black sand beach glisten in the light of a nearly full moon surrounded by a shining halo. The 22 degree lunar halo itself is created by ice crystals in high, thin clouds refracting the moonlight. Despite the bright moonlight, curtains of aurora still dance through the surreal scene. In early February, their activity was triggered by Earth's restless magnetosphere and the energetic wind from a coronal hole near the Sun's south pole. Bright Jupiter, also near opposition, is visible at the left, beyond the icy lunar halo.
https://www.atoptics.co.uk/blog/22-degree-halo-22-halo-22-circular-halo/

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150213.html

#space #earth #aurora #astrophotography #photography #NASA #science #physics #nature #education #4sAur

2021 December 13

Meteors and Auroras over Iceland
* Image Credit & Copyright: James Boardman-Woodend
https://www.flickr.com/photos/126180225@N06/
* Annotation: Judy Schmidt (see next post)

Explanation:
What's going on behind that mountain? Quite a bit. First of all, the mountain itself, named Kirkjufell, is quite old and located in western Iceland near the town of Grundarfjörður. In front of the steeply-sloped structure lies a fjord that had just begun to freeze when the above image was taken -- in mid-December of 2012. Although quite faint to the unaided eye, the beautiful colors of background aurorae became quite apparent on the 25-second exposure. What makes this image of particular note, though, is that it also captures streaks from the Geminids meteor shower -- meteors that might not have been evident were the aurora much brighter. Far in the distance, on the left, is the band of our Milky Way Galaxy, while stars from our local part of the Milky Way appear spread across the background. Tonight the Geminids meteor shower peaks again and may well provide sky enthusiasts with their own memorable visual experiences.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211213.html

#space #earth #aurora #astrophotography #photography #NASA #science #physics #nature #education #4sAur

2021 October 30

A Rorschach Aurora
* Image Credit & Copyright: Göran Strand
https://astrofotografen.se/

Explanation:
If you see this as a monster's face, don't panic. It's only pareidolia, often experienced as the tendency to see faces in patterns of light and shadow. In fact, the startling visual scene is actually a 180 degree panorama of Northern Lights, digitally mirrored like inkblots on a folded piece of paper. Frames used to construct it were captured on a September night from the middle of a waterfall-crossing suspension bridge in Jamtland, Sweden. With geomagnetic storms triggered by recent solar activity, auroral displays could be very active at planet Earth's high latitudes in the coming days. But if you see a monster's face in your own neighborhood tomorrow night, it might just be Halloween.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211030.html

#space #earth #aurora #astrophotography #photography #NASA #science #physics #nature #education #4sAur

2022 October 30

Night on a Spooky Planet
* Image Credit & Copyright: Stéphane Vetter (Nuits sacrées)
http://www.nuitsacrees.fr/

Explanation:
What spooky planet is this? Planet Earth of course, on a dark and stormy night in 2013 at Hverir, a geothermally active area along the volcanic landscape in northeastern Iceland. Triggered by solar activity, geomagnetic storms produced the auroral display in the starry night sky. The ghostly towers of steam and gas are venting from fumaroles and danced against the eerie greenish light. For now, auroral apparitions are increasing as our Sun approaches a maximum in its 11 year solar activity cycle. And pretty soon, ghostly shapes may dance in your neighborhood too.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221030.html

#space #earth #aurora #astrophotography #photography #NASA #science #physics #nature #education #4sAur