                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2023 November 5
    The night sky over a snowy tree-adorned landscape glows in green and
      purple. The auroral glow might appear to some to be shaped like a
     creature. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                         Creature Aurora Over Norway
      Image Credit & Copyright: Ole C. Salomonsen (Arctic Light Photo)

   Explanation: It was Halloween and the sky looked like a creature.
   Exactly which creature, the astrophotographer was unsure (but possibly
   you can suggest one). Exactly what caused this eerie apparition in 2013
   was sure: one of the best auroral displays that year. This spectacular
   aurora had an unusually high degree of detail. Pictured here, the vivid
   green and purple auroral colors are caused by high atmospheric oxygen
   and nitrogen reacting to a burst of incoming electrons. Birch trees in
   Tromsø, Norway formed an also eerie foreground. Frequently, new
   photogenic auroras accompany new geomagnetic storms.

                  Almost Hyperspace: Random APOD Generator
                      Tomorrow's picture: devil on mars
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                             & Michigan Tech. U.

