Astronomy Picture of the Day 8/15/02

NASA ^ | 8/15/02 | Wade B. Clark. JR.

[sleavelessinseattle]

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2002 August 15

Meteors and Northern Lights
Credit & Copyright: Wade B. Clark Jr.

Explanation: Skygazers report that the annual Perseid meteor shower went pretty much as predicted, producing a meteor every few minutes during the dark early morning hours of August 12 and 13. And as the constellation Perseus rose above the horizon on the night of August 11, astrophotographer Wade Clark was anticipating recording images of the flashing meteor trails from the Mt. Baker Ski Area in northwest Washington, USA. But Clark was also treated to a colorful display of northern lights. As a result, the stars of Perseus are arrayed near the center of his well composed skyscape along with trails of Perseid meteors all viewed through the auroral glow. The alluring scene might look familiar to watchers of bygone Perseids. For many, views of the meteor shower in 2000 also coincided with auroral displays, courtesy of the active Sun.

Tomorrow's picture: rainbow meteor

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[sleavelessinseattle]

Please report any broken links to myself! 2Trievers first told me about the SPACE weather site that you can get by clicking on Active Sun, above.

[sleavelessinseattle]

Your Aug 15th APOD PING, Get it while its excited! Aurora that is...Read the description of how the shot was taken...Sometimes ones cup overflows when watching the heavens...now why would that be surprising? WTG GOD!

[RightWhale]

If you are farther north, you can see the bottom edge of the curtain. It ends many miles up above the earth. Sometimes up here it is like looking directly down the barrel of a huge rocket motor with the curtain all around and the center way above you. Or like you are a honeybee in the middle of a sunflower.

[sleavelessinseattle]

I never understood that the aurora was a vertical structure until I started reading Sky & Telescope...I've been a fan ever since the first issue I picked up...its the best 6 bucks you can spend IMHO. They had shots in there that were clear enough that you could tell the camera was aimed between two curtains that varied precisely with each other all the way up...just stunning detail!

[MeekOneGOP]

More Aurora Borealis Photos Here

[BossyRoofer]

Great AURORA picture!

[EggsAckley]

My all time favorite!! "Polar Bear in a Snow Storm."
(I see nuthink, nuthink.)
;o)

[fnord]

I have a shirt just like that

[mtngrl@vrwc]

Gorgeous, just gorgeous! I have never seen the northern lights in person but sure have enjoyed looking at these pictures. Some day.......

[reflecting]

Thanks for the APOD, I enjoy it so much!

[sleavelessinseattle]

Thanks to all for your support of APOD!!! Wouldn't you love to zip along beside this in a space flitter? Someone will get to someday, or I don't know Humanity!

[inquest]

Well that's an improvement! At least you didn't say it looked like a giant burning slug. :D

[BossyRoofer]

Thank you for the picture! AWSOME, my girls like APOD alot keep up the good work.