 EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes
and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and
archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


 Northern Lights over the Norwegian Sea

   November 24, 2021

    Aurora4SMALLer

   Photographer:  Tomas Slovinsky

   Summary Author:  Tomas Slovinsky;  Cadan Cummings

   One of my biggest dreams- even before I became an astronomy popularizer
   and photographer- was to see the  northern lights. The picture above
   was taken near  Tromsø, Norway in October 2021. These spectacular
   displays- also called the  aurora borealis in the northern
   hemisphere and  aurora australis in the southern hemisphere- are the
   result of energetic particles emitted by the  Sun colliding with the
    Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. Our planet’s magnetic field
   protects us from most of these energetic particles, however, the
   magnetic shield  converges at the north and south poles and lets
   some of this energy hit the Earth’s atmosphere. Once interacting with
   our outer atmosphere, these particles collide with  oxygen to create
   green and red light.

   Thanks to my friends, this dream of seeing the northern lights in
   person came true. Our polar trip headed first to  Sweden, but our
   first days were mostly hopeless as the weather in  Abisko was cloudy
   and snowy. Decision then was one and only - to get a trip much north,
   in Tromsø, Norway. The experience was magnified when I finally met
   legendary Adrien Mauduit, a great astrophotographer and
   cinematographer. He was the one who kept me, Petr Horálek, Josef Kujal
   and Balazs Szarka in hope for hours before the aurora truly appeared.
   Adrien told us "Just wait, it is about to come - something amazing" and
   I had never been so grateful as when I finally saw he was right. The
   dynamics, intensity, colors visible even by the moonlight made this one
   of my lifetime experiences so far. If you like the image, trust me that
   the personal experience is far better! Hopefully not my last, I am sure
   I want to see it again. This is one of moments you know it was worth to
   live for!
     * Tromsø, Norway Coordinates: 69.6498, 18.9841

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Night Sky Links

     *  Space Weather Live
     *  Space Weather Live Forum
     *  About the Moon
     *  American Meteor Society
     *  Arbeitskreises Meteore e.V.
     *  Global City Lights
     *  Heavens Above Home Page
     *  The International Meteor Organization
     *  Lunar and Planetary Institute
     *  MoonConnection
     *  NASA Eclipse Web Page
     *  Understanding The Moon Phases

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   Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the  Universities
   Space Research Association.

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