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Credit & Copyright: Randy Halverson
Explanation:
Wind and spaceweather
are transformed in this haunting
night skyscape.
The prairie windmill and colorful auroral display
were captured on October 1, from central South Dakota, USA,
as a good season for
aurora hunters came with longer autumn nights.
From green to rarer reddish hues, the northern lights
are sparked by the geomagnetic storms caused by solar activity.
These
extend far above the cloud bank to altitudes well
over 100 kilometers, against the backdrop of distant stars in
the northern night.
Visual
double
star Mizar, marking the middle of
the Big Dipper's
handle, is easy to spot at the left edge of the frame.
The dipper's North Celestial Pole pointers
Merak and Dubhe
line up vertically near picture center.
Note: How to find
APOD
Alternative Mirror Sites
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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 - space weather
Publications with words: aurora - space weather
See also: