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.

                                 2026 May 16
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                         Aurora Slathers Up the Sky
          Image Credit: [3]Jack Fischer, [4]Expedition 52, [5]NASA

   Explanation: Like salsa verde on your favorite burrito, a green
   [6]aurora slathers up the sky in this 2017 June 25 snapshot from the
   International Space Station. About 400 kilometers (250 miles) above
   Earth, the orbiting station is itself [7]within the upper realm of the
   auroral displays. Aurorae have the [8]signature colors of excited
   molecules and atoms at the low densities found at extreme altitudes.
   Emission from atomic oxygen dominates this view. [9]The tantalizing
   glow is green at lower altitudes, but rarer reddish bands extend above
   the space station's horizon. [10]The orbital scene was captured while
   passing over a point south and east of Australia, with stars above the
   horizon at the right belonging to [11]the constellation [12]Canis
   Major, Orion's big dog. [13]Sirius, alpha star of Canis Major, is the
   brightest star near the Earth's limb.

                      Tomorrow's picture: spiral barred
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    Authors & editors: [25]Robert Nemiroff ([26]MTU) & [27]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([28]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [29]Specific rights apply.
            [30]NASA Web Privacy, [31]Accessibility, [32]Notices;
                A service of: [33]ASD at [34]NASA / [35]GSFC,
                         [36]NASA Science Activation
                           & [37]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2605/aurora_iss052e007857.jpg
   3. https://twitter.com/Astro2fish/
   4. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition52/index.html
   5. http://www.nasa.gov/
   6. https://twitter.com/Astro2fish/status/884886605407727616
   7. http://ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/211.fall2000.web.projects/Christina Shaw/AuroraColors.html
   8. http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/4D.html
   9. https://twitter.com/Astro2fish/status/889198201236008960
  10. https://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/SearchPhotos/photo.pl?mission=ISS052&roll=E&frame=7857
  11. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/constellations/en/
  12. https://noirlab.edu/public/education/constellations/canismajor/
  13. http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/sirius.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260515.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  18. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  20. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  23. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260516
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260517.html
  25. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  26. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  27. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  28. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  30. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  32. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  33. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  36. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  37. http://www.mtu.edu/