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Credit: Zoltan Kenwell
(Infocus Imagery)
Explanation:
Few auroras show this level of detail.
Above, a standard digital camera captured a particularly active and colorful
auroral corona that occurred last week above
Alberta,
Canada.
With a shape reminiscent of a
flower, the
spectacular aurora had an unusually high degree of
detail.
The vivid green and purple
auroral colors are caused by high atmospheric
oxygen and
hydrogen
reacting to a burst of incoming
electrons.
Many photogenic auroras have been triggered from a
solar wind
stream that recently passed the Earth.
The auroras were unexpected because the initiating Sun has been
unusually quiet of late.
Note:
An APOD editor will review great space images this Saturday night at Ft. Wilkins,
Michigan.
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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 - solar wind
Publications with words: aurora - solar wind
See also: