Starship Asterisk*

Alaska Aurora Sequence

Explanation: A remarkably intense auroral band flooded the northern night with shimmering colors on December 7. The stunning sequence captured here was made with a camera fixed to a tripod under cold, clear skies near Ester, just outside of Fairbanks, Alaska. Left to right, spanning a period of about 30 minutes, the panels follow changes in the dancing curtains of northern lights extending to altitudes of over 100 kilometers in a band arcing directly overhead. The panels span 150 degrees vertically, covering about 500 kilometers of aurora laying across the sky from edge to edge. The auroral activity was triggered by a moderate level geomagnetic storm, as a high speed solar wind stream buffeted planet Earth's magnetosphere.

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I created this

WOW....looks like it knotted up, and then burst forth....spectacular.

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Awesome!

orin stepanek wrote:Awesome!

Exactly.

Guest wrote:I created this

We doubt it.

The last image on the right reminds me of M-Theory and colliding membranes. The parallel field lines illuminated by the aurora make a decent model of the membranes. The dancing motion of field lines represent the gyrations of the membranes and suggest the possibilities of collision as speculated in M-Theory. I guess the big question is, what is the process analogous to the magnetic field that gives rise to the membranes?

The last image (far right) looks like an eagle in flight to me. I see why the Native Inuit's revere these lighte as Totem Spirit Lights

Wow.

I would love to see this series of images as a time lapse video.

Anthony Barreiro wrote:I would love to see this series of images as a time lapse video.

As would I Anthony. Hey, look at the coming attractions for tomorrows apod:

Tomorrow's picture: time-lapse

Maybe we'll get our wish manana.