                        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 January 22
   A person stands on a steep snow-covered hill with their arms raised. In
     the distance green aurora are visible. Past that stars are visible.
          Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                    In Green Company: Aurora over Norway
                     Image Credit & Copyright: Max Rive

   Explanation: Raise your arms if you see an aurora. With those
   instructions, two nights went by with, well, clouds -- mostly. On the
   third night of returning to same peaks, though, the sky not only
   cleared up but lit up with a spectacular auroral display. Arms went
   high in the air, patience and experience paid off, and the creative
   featured image was captured as a composite from three separate
   exposures. The setting is a summit of the Austnesfjorden fjord close to
   the town of Svolvear on the Lofoten islands in northern Norway. The
   time was early 2014. Although our Sun passed the solar minimum of its
   11-year cycle only a few years ago, surface activity is picking up and
   already triggering more spectacular auroras here on Earth.

                    Tomorrow's picture: dueling galaxies
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

