Planet Aurora
Explanation:
What
bizarre alien planet is this ?
It's planet Earth of course,
seen through the shimmering glow of
aurorae from the
International Space Station.
About 400 kilometers (250 miles) above,
the orbiting station is itself within
the upper realm of
the auroral displays, also watched from the
planet's surface on June 23rd.
Aurorae have the
signature colors of
excited molecules and
atoms at the low densities found at extreme altitudes.
The eerie greenish glow of molecular oxygen dominates
this view.
But higher, just above the space station's horizon, is a rarer red band
of aurora from atomic oxygen.
The ongoing geomagnetic storm
began after a
coronal mass ejection's recent impact on Earth's magnetosphere.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
