                        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 October 13

                     Aurora Timelapse Over Italian Alps
                Video Credit & Copyright: Cristian Bigontina

   Explanation: Did you see last night's aurora? This question was
   relevant around much of the world a few days ago because a powerful
   auroral storm became visible unusually far from the Earth's poles. The
   cause was a giant X-class solar flare on Tuesday that launched
   energetic electrons and protons into the Solar System, connecting to
   the Earth via our planet's magnetic field. A red glow of these
   particles striking oxygen atoms high in Earth's atmosphere pervades the
   frame, while vertical streaks dance. The featured video shows a
   one-hour timelapse as seen from Cortina d'Ampezzo over Alps Mountain
   peaks in northern Italy. Stars from our Milky Way Galaxy dot the
   background while streaks from airplanes and satellites punctuate the
   foreground. The high recent activity of our Sun is likely to continue
   to produce picturesque auroras over Earth during the next year or so.

              Gallery: Global aurora during October 10/11, 2024
                       Tomorrow's picture: comet tails
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

