Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Cool Picture Of The Day

This is not what you probably think it is. What you probably think it is would be an aurora borealis. It's actually the aurora borealis's southern cousin, though, aurora australis. Click on the picture to enlarge:
Image credit: NASA/ISS
Here's the caption:

While aurora are generally only visible close to the poles, severe magnetic storms impacting the Earth’s magnetic field can shift them towards the equator. This striking aurora image was taken during a geomagnetic storm that was most likely caused by a coronal mass ejection from the Sun on May 24, 2010. The ISS was located over the Southern Indian Ocean at an altitude of 350 kilometers (220 miles), with the astronaut observer most likely looking towards Antarctica (not visible) and the South Pole.

Aurora Australis Observed from the International Space Station


(h/t to Astronomy Picture Of The Day)


2 comments:

Dana Hunter said...

Now, that's just astounding. Makes me glad to be alive in an era where such shots are possible, that does!

Cujo359 said...

Enjoy that era while it lasts. The way the American economy is being beggared, it won't be around for too much longer.