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 August 6
   [2]A large storm cloud is pictured hovering over a flat landscape with
    telephone poles. The background sky is blue. The cloud appears orange
    at the bottom, yellow at the top, white in the middle, with dark gray
     overtones all around. Please see the explanation for more detailed
                                information.

                           Storm Cloud Over Texas
       Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Laura Rowe (Used with permission)

   Explanation: What makes this storm cloud so colorful? First, the
   [4]cloud itself is composed of millions of tiny droplets of water and
   ice. Its bottom is almost completely flat -- but this isn't unusual.
   [5]Bottom flatness in clouds is generally caused by [6]air temperature
   dropping as you go up, and that above a specific height,
   water-saturated air condenses out water droplets. The [7]shape of the
   cloud middle is caused by a water-droplet-laden column of air being
   blown upward. [8]Most unusual, though, are the orange and yellow
   colors. Both [9]colors are caused by the cloud's water drops reflecting
   sunlight. The orange color in the cloud's middle and bottom sections
   are reflections of a nearly [10]red sunset. In contrast, the yellow
   color of the cloud's top results from [11]reflection of light from a
   not-yet-setting Sun, where some -- but less -- [12]blue light is being
   scattered away. Appearing to [13]float above the plains in [14]Texas,
   the [15]featured impressive image of a dynamic [16]cumulonimbus cloud
   was [17]captured in 2021 while investigating a [18]tornado.

                      Tomorrow's picture: galaxy three
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    Authors & editors: [30]Robert Nemiroff ([31]MTU) & [32]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([33]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [34]Specific rights apply.
            [35]NASA Web Privacy, [36]Accessibility, [37]Notices;
                A service of: [38]ASD at [39]NASA / [40]GSFC,
                         [41]NASA Science Activation
                           & [42]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2408/StormCloud_Rowe_960.jpg
   3. https://laurarowe.smugmug.com/About-Laura-Rowe
   4. https://climatekids.nasa.gov/cloud-formation/
   5. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-01/flat-bottom-clouds-and-the-science-behind-them/12591230
   6. https://scied.ucar.edu/sites/default/files/interactives/atmosphere-altitude/vertpro_comet.jpg
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap040218.html
   8. https://www.seadna.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Hilariously-Surprised-Dogs.jpg
   9. https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/clouds/color-of-clouds
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170120.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180613.html
  12. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/blue-sky/en/
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230514.html
  14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas
  15. https://www.instagram.com/p/CO_y-rKhqhK/
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumulonimbus_cloud
  17. https://laurarowe.smugmug.com/About-Laura-Rowe
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200517.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240805.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  23. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  25. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  28. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240806
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240807.html
  30. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  31. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  32. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  33. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  37. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  38. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  41. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  42. http://www.mtu.edu/