Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]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 June 12
    [2]Purple striped aurora cover a star filled sky. Mountain peaks are
    visible on the sides, as well as a futuristic looking building on the
    right side. City lights are visible in the valley down below. Please
             see the explanation for more detailed information.

                      Aurora over Karkonosze Mountains
                 Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Daniel Koszela

   Explanation: It was the first time ever. At least, the first time this
   photographer had ever seen aurora from his home mountains. And what a
   [4]spectacular aurora it was. The [5]Karkonosze Mountains in [6]Poland
   are usually too far south to see any auroras. But on the [7]amazing
   night of May 10 - 11, purple and green colors lit up much of the night
   sky, a surprising spectacle that [8]also appeared over many
   mid-[9]latitude locations around the [10]Earth. The [11]featured image
   is a composite of six vertical exposures taken during the auroral peak.
   The futuristic buildings on the right are part of a [12]meteorological
   observatory located on the highest peak of the [13]Karkonosze
   Mountains. The [14]purple color is primarily due to [15]Sun-triggered,
   high-energy [16]electrons impacting [17]nitrogen molecules in
   [18]Earth's atmosphere. Our [19]Sun is reaching its maximum [20]surface
   activity over the next two years, and although many more [21]auroras
   are predicted, most will occur over regions closer to the [22]Earth's
   poles.

                       Tomorrow's picture: star swirl
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [34]Robert Nemiroff ([35]MTU) & [36]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([37]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [38]Specific rights apply.
            [39]NASA Web Privacy, [40]Accessibility, [41]Notices;
                A service of: [42]ASD at [43]NASA / [44]GSFC,
                         [45]NASA Science Activation
                           & [46]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2406/AuroraKarkonosze_Koszela_1409.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/danielkoszelaphotography/
   4. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240512.html
   5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Mountains_National_Park
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland
   7. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-scottish-fold-cat-head-260nw-1277698591.jpg
   8. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.431368006258449&type=3
   9. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Biagio-Di-Mauro-2/publication/355674389/figure/fig1/AS:1084113742245888@1635484266211/Global-map-divided-in-tropical-areas-middle-latitudes-and-polar-regions.png
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220206.html
  11. https://www.instagram.com/p/C60r4UgLlGq/
  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadeusz_Hołdys_High-Mountain_Meteorological_Observatory_on_Śnieżka
  13. https://youtu.be/BiNQB4f_6eY
  14. https://site.uit.no/spaceweather/wp-content/uploads/sites/194/2019/08/Colours-700x742.png
  15. https://theconversation.com/are-the-northern-lights-caused-by-particles-from-the-sun-not-exactly-174019
  16. https://www.aps.org/archives/publications/apsnews/200010/history.cfm
  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen
  18. https://www.nasa.gov/general/what-is-earths-atmosphere/
  19. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/all-about-the-sun/
  20. https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/solar-cycle-25-is-here-nasa-noaa-scientists-explain-what-that-means/
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230122.html
  22. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_regions_of_Earth
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240611.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  27. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  29. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  32. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240612
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240613.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  35. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  36. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  37. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  38. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  42. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/
  44. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  45. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  46. http://www.mtu.edu/