                        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.

                                 2024 May 18

                           North Celestial Aurora
                   Image Credit & Copyright: Chirag Upreti

   Explanation: Graceful star trail arcs reflect planet Earth's daily
   rotation in this colorful night skyscape. To create the timelapse
   composite, on May 12 consecutive exposures were recorded with a camera
   fixed to a tripod on the shores of the Ashokan Reservoir, in the
   Catskills region of New York, USA. North star Polaris is near the
   center of the star trail arcs. The broad trail of a waxing crescent
   Moon is on the left, casting a strong reflection across the reservoir
   waters. With intense solar activity driving recent geomagnetic storms,
   the colorful aurora borealis or northern lights, rare to the region,
   shine under Polaris and the north celestial pole.

                AuroraSaurus: Report your aurora observations
                     Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

