                        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.

                               2022 October 30

                          Night on a Spooky Planet
           Image Credit & Copyright: Stphane Vetter (Nuits sacres)

   Explanation: What spooky planet is this? Planet Earth of course, on a
   dark and stormy night in 2013 at Hverir, a geothermally active area
   along the volcanic landscape in northeastern Iceland. Triggered by
   solar activity, geomagnetic storms produced the auroral display in the
   starry night sky. The ghostly towers of steam and gas are venting from
   fumaroles and danced against the eerie greenish light. For now, auroral
   apparitions are increasing as our Sun approaches a maximum in its 11
   year solar activity cycle. And pretty soon, ghostly shapes may dance in
   your neighborhood too.

                         Tomorrow's picture: big bat
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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