APOD: Dragon Aurora over Norway (2018 Apr 10)

[APOD Robot]

Dragon Aurora over Norway

Explanation: What's that in the sky? An aurora. A large coronal hole opened last month, a few days before this image was taken, throwing a cloud of fast moving electrons, protons, and ions toward the Earth. Some of this cloud impacted our Earth's magnetosphere and resulted in spectacular auroras being seen at high northern latitudes. Featured here is a particularly photogenic auroral curtain captured above Tromsø Norway. To the astrophotographer, this shimmering green glow of recombining atmospheric oxygen appeared as a large dragon, but feel free to share what it looks like to you. Although now past Solar Maximum, our Sun continues to show occasional activity creating impressive auroras on Earth visible even last week.

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[harryb]

A praying mantis striking at a fly!

[heehaw]

Marcus Aurelius believed the stars to be gods. Is it any wonder!

[orin stepanek]

A + ! photo!

[Guest]

Looks like a sign of the return of Lord Voldemart.

But its a great photo of the aurora.

Jim

[lwbryan@bellsouth.net]

It is the Grim Reaper reaching out for its prey !!!

[Chris Peterson]

It is the Grim Reaper reaching out for its prey !!!

The glow is the Grim Reaper giving up its power before he can reach its prey. This would, indeed, be the Grim Reaper if it were invisible!

[De58te]

Yeah, I can see the large dragon. The head and neck of the dragon is the portion on the left to centre top. The bright curved tongue (which looks longer than the neck) is licking up towards a running figure on the right which I believe appears to be a frightened Donald Trump.

[suicidejunkie]

The middle portion is clearly the head of the glorious Hypnotoad, and everything else you see is due to its influence.

[Mitchy_be]

"Phoenix Rising"! The shape appears from the left, ending in the center with Phoenix's crown and beak. The left wing is forward as it struggles to rise from the 'ashes' of the solar blast.

[FrostyBoy]

You guys nailed it, first thing that came to me was dragon. Spent two winters at McMurdo, I'm jealous of the Norwegians.

[JoelB44]

Looks like the last few wisps of Roger Rabbit!

[super nintendo chamlers]

Looks like steamed hams to me

[John Walker]

I can see two dragons in love!