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Astronomy Picture of the Day - The Aurora Tree
NASA ^ | 8 Mar, 2026 | Image Credit & Copyright: Alyn Wallace

Posted on 03/08/2026 5:06:34 PM PDT by MtnClimber

Explanation: Yes, but can your tree do this? Pictured is a visual coincidence between the dark branches of a nearby tree and bright glow of a distant aurora. The beauty of the aurora -- combined with how it seemed to mimic a tree right nearby -- mesmerized the photographer to such a degree that he momentarily forgot to take pictures. When viewed at the right angle, it seemed that this tree had aurora for leaves. Fortunately, before the aurora morphed into a different overall shape, he came to his senses and captured the awe-inspiring momentary coincidence. Typically triggered by solar explosions, aurora are caused by high energy electrons impacting the Earth's atmosphere around 150 kilometers up. The unusual Earth-sky collaboration was witnessed in March of 2017 in Iceland.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa
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1 posted on 03/08/2026 5:06:34 PM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 03/08/2026 5:06:52 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

3 posted on 03/08/2026 5:07:29 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Beautiful.


4 posted on 03/08/2026 5:16:32 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: MtnClimber

what a beautiful gift


5 posted on 03/08/2026 5:22:21 PM PDT by Pathfinder
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To: MtnClimber

How cool is THAT?!


6 posted on 03/08/2026 5:23:59 PM PDT by goodnesswins (Make educ institutions return to the Mission...reading, writing, math...not Opinions & propaganda)
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To: MtnClimber

7 posted on 03/08/2026 5:44:25 PM PDT by Deaf and Discerning
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To: MtnClimber

Really nice. What planet or moon is this on?


8 posted on 03/08/2026 5:51:27 PM PDT by BipolarBob (Call my personal secretary, Jennie, at 867-5309.)
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To: MtnClimber

Beautiful.


9 posted on 03/08/2026 8:45:51 PM PDT by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
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