Aurora Over a Communications Tower

Credit: Credit & Copyright: Frank Andreassen (nettfoto.no); APOD, Posted on: Friday, 1 October 2004, 06:00 CDT Download full size image

Higher than highest communications tower, higher than highest mountain, higher than highest airplane, lies the realm of the aurora. Auroras rarely reach below 60 kilometers, and can range up to 1000 kilometers. Aurora light results from energetic electrons and protons striking molecules in the Earth's atmosphere. Frequently, when viewed from space, a complete aurora will appear as a circle around one of the Earth's magnetic poles. Pictured above is a particularly rare purple auroral corona that occurred on August 30, high above Harstad, Norway.

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