NicerAPOD

Dueling Auroras

Dueling Auroras

Will it be curtains for one of these auroras? A quick inspection indicates that it is curtains for both, as the designation “ curtains ” well categorizes the type of aurora pattern pictured. Another (informal) type is the corona . The above auroras resulted from outbursts of ionic particles from the Sun during the last week of September. A polarity change in the solar magnetic field at the Earth then triggered auroras over the next few days. The above picture was taken on October 3 as fleeting space radiation pelted the Earth's atmosphere high above the Yukon in Canada .

Media Credits & Attribution

Credit & Copyright: Phil Hoffman