APOD: Aurora and Volcanic Light Pillar (2014 Sep 23)

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APOD: Aurora and Volcanic Light Pillar (2014 Sep 23)

Post by APOD Robot » Tue Sep 23, 2014 4:07 am

Image Aurora and Volcanic Light Pillar

Explanation: That's no sunset. And that thin red line just above it -- that's not a sun pillar. The red glow on the horizon originates from a volcanic eruption, and the red line is the eruption's reflection from fluttering atmospheric ice crystals. This unusual volcanic light pillar was captured over Iceland earlier this month. The featured scene looks north from Jökulsárlón toward the erupting volcano Bárðarbunga in the Holuhraun lava field. Even the foreground sky is picturesque, with textured grey clouds in the lower atmosphere, shimmering green aurora in the upper atmosphere, and bright stars far in the distance. Although the last eruption from Holuhraun was in 1797, the present volcanic activity continues.

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Re: APOD: Aurora and Volcanic Light Pillar (2014 Sep 23)

Post by alter-ego » Tue Sep 23, 2014 4:27 am

Wow, that's a unique picture. It incorporates the most diverse set of APOD subjects I recall seeing. Light Pillars, volcano, aurora & stars. Without the description, I'd swear it was a sunset/sunrise. Amazing shot.
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Re: APOD: Aurora and Volcanic Light Pillar (2014 Sep 23)

Post by Boomer12k » Tue Sep 23, 2014 4:40 am

Awesome display...

And Simply Awesome combination of phenomena going on...

Fire and Ice!

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Re: APOD: Aurora and Volcanic Light Pillar (2014 Sep 23)

Post by Arborist » Tue Sep 23, 2014 5:39 am

Looks like something out of Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings. Simply fantastic, and non-fiction, too.

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Re: APOD: Aurora and Volcanic Light Pillar (2014 Sep 23)

Post by Markus Schwarz » Tue Sep 23, 2014 7:54 am

Arborist wrote:Looks like something out of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Simply fantastic, and non-fiction, too.
Exactly what I was thinking!

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Re: APOD: Aurora and Volcanic Light Pillar (2014 Sep 23)

Post by Ann » Tue Sep 23, 2014 8:50 am

Yes, it looks like something out of Mordor, or at least like something at the outskirts of Mordor. Beware of getting closer!

Although that friendly blue-white sky lantern of Alkaid does offer some hope.

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Re: APOD: Aurora and Volcanic Light Pillar (2014 Sep 23)

Post by Nuitsacrees » Tue Sep 23, 2014 9:08 am

Thank you to appreciate, it was a magical moment :) . In addition to the text, a video that shows the dynamics of the today's APOD picture and a few other surprises ... : http://vimeo.com/106804189

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Re: APOD: Aurora and Volcanic Light Pillar (2014 Sep 23)

Post by LocalColor » Tue Sep 23, 2014 7:24 pm

Nuitsacrees wrote:Thank you to appreciate, it was a magical moment :) . In addition to the text, a video that shows the dynamics of the today's APOD picture and a few other surprises ... : http://vimeo.com/106804189
Thank you for the video as well as the outstanding photo.

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