Not every road ends in a STEVE. A week ago, a sky enthusiast's journey began with a goal: to photograph an aurora over Lake Huron . Driving through rural Ontario , Canada , the forecasted sky show started unexpectedly early , causing the photographer to stop before arriving at the scenic Great Lake . Aurora images were taken toward the north -- but over land, not sea. While waiting for a second round of auroras, a peculiar band of light was noticed to the west. Slowly, the photographer and friends realized that this western band was likely an unusual type of aurora: a Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement (STEVE). Moreover, this STEVE was putting on quite a show: appearing intertwined with the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy while intersecting the horizon just near the end of the country road. After capturing this cosmic X on camera, the photographer paused to appreciate the unexpected awesomeness of finding extraordinary beauty in an ordinary setting.
Your Sky Surprise: What picture did APOD feature on your birthday? (post 1995)
Media Credits & Attribution
Image Credit & Copyright: Theresa Clarke