Monday, November 19, 2007

Aurora


Aurora in the Distance
Credit & Copyright: Lance McVay
Explanation: Some auroras can only be seen with a camera. They are called sub-visual and are too faint to be seen with the unaided eye. The reason is that the human eye only accumulates light for a fraction of a second at a time, while a camera shutter can be left open indefinitely. When photographing an already picturesque scene above Juneau, Alaska, USA, a camera caught green sub-visual aurora near the horizon. Auroras are sparked by energetic particles from the Sun impacting the magnetic environment around the Earth. Resultant energetic particles such as electrons and protons rain down near the Earth's poles and impact the air. The impacted air molecules temporarily lose electrons, and when oxygen molecules among them reacquire these electrons, they emit green light. Auroras are known to have many shapes and colors.

11 comments:

Brooke said...

How lovely! It almost doesn't look real.

Eyes said...

It's a beauty!

The Merry Widow said...

Surreal...or sci fi-ish. But beautiful!
Hiya Eyes!

tmw

Eyes said...

Morning tmw:>D Lurvley!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pic! Happy Thanskgiving, eyes!

nanc said...

yes, what farmer said!

have you been eyeballing the holmes comet?

Eyes said...

Happy Thanksgiving FJ!

Nanc, we've been looking for it, but we're not certain we've found it. There's a bright one out there, but we're not sure that's it....

Eyes said...

It doesn't help living in a bright city,,, lots of lights makes it tough to see such things.

Eyes said...

It doesn't help living in a bright city,,, lots of lights makes it tough to see such things.

Brooke said...

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Eyes!

Gayle said...

WOW! Another beautiful Wallpaper. Thanks, Eyes! :)