APOD: Goat Aurora Over Greenland (2012 Oct 03)

[StarCuriousAero]

I couldn't see anything other than a Chinese dragon until an Irish setter was mentioned, that I can see as well. I don't think it looks anything like a goat though, funny how people see different things I suppose.

Finally a picture of Greenland where it's actually green though!

[ta152h0]

It is a very nice APOD. I am not ancient so I can't see the frogs, goats, elephants, or anything like that.

[geckzilla]

Clearly, it's Atreyu's Luck Dragon.

[neufer]

Clearly, it's Atreyu's Luck Dragon.

The Neverending Story
Nothing Sentry: De Vere

<<Falkor (Fuchur in German) is a Flying Dog like Luck Dragon and friend of Atreyu and Bastian. He is the only flying dog to appear, although five others are mentioned in passing. He helps Atreyu in his quest to find a cure for the Empress after escaping the web of Ygramul the Many.

Falkor has an elongated, winged body with rudimentary paws and pink scales and hairs on the length of his body that appear white in dull light. He seems to like children based on what he says in the first movie. The form of his head is described less precisely, though his eyes are mentioned as being the colour of rubies. In the color illustrations of the original German version he appears much like an Oriental dragon. A cover for the book by Dan Craig illustrated Falkor as lion-like, while in the 1984 film adaptation of the novel, as well as its sequels, Falkor has distinctive canine features. Additionally, in both the first and second movies, Falkor asks to be scratched behind his ear, which are very big, accenting his dog-like appearance.

Unlike most of their dragon kin, flying dog possess neither an immense physical strength, nor great magical talents, though they can still breathe fire, which is blue, as shown when Falkor fights Ygramul. Their only distinctive ability that sets them apart is their incredible luck in everything they do, as shown at one point in the novel when Falkor manages to locate and rescue his companion despite being lost in a violent, blinding storm and having absolutely no idea where to look for him. A flying dog's typical answer to how it is going to accomplish a nearly impossible feat is always "With luck!" Despite such carelessness, it seems their luck truly never fails and is a valuable asset for their companions.

Another special trait of flying dogs is the ability to fly despite the fact that they have no wings. It is explained in the book that flying dogs are beings made from fire and air. When in flight a flying dog is in constant motion and literally swims through the air. Flying dog never stop taking in air and heat through their scales, which makes eating unnecessary and makes water deadly to them if they are immersed in it for more than a few minutes. Flying dogs are capable of sleeping while flying, and prefer to have as much open space as possible rather than be cooped up in a building, regardless of how spacious it may be.>>

[Caio Fabio]

Looks like the flying dog of The Neverending Story

[John Erickson]

It's a goat. Finally a goat. Aristotle in his treatise on earth science (Meteorology) described the auroras as jumping goats. Since I found that out, I have always looked for goats in images of auroras. Until now it is without success. Thanks for showing us a goat at last.

[Kunu54]

What a great pic. It looks to me of a lovely woman, with long blond hair, who jus got
done with her performance at a concert. Thank you. Lou loves em. hot-mail.

[fearnow]

It looks to me like a dragon head, in the year of the dragon. Funny how our perceptions effect how we see the world

exactly this.

[caralu]

It looked like a dragon head to me when it first popped up.

[ta152h0]

If I may continue on the subject of todays APOD and see animals portrayed in the nightsky, I submit today's astronomers would name these constellations somewhat differently, based on today's surroundings. Such as " 69 Torino Cobrajet " constellation, oh yes, I see the " Eiffel Tower " nebula, " the Great Wall of China " peculiar galaxy.....

[swmech]

Clearly this is Falkor the flying luck dragon from The Neverending Story.

heh - and I thought I'd be the only one that saw that!

[Catwoman]

It is interesting that everyone sees different things. To me, it looks like a dragon, not a goat. So there you go. Weird or what?

[orin stepanek]

I give today's APOD an A +

[Guest]

The aurora reminds me of Atreyu in The Neverending Story.

[DukeSkygawker]

It looks like the head of Cthulhu.

[Arkán]

It looks like a Dragon to me. One of the Great Frost Dragons.

[Wadsworth]

Seeing something like this in person must be amazing..

[Halogen]

A palm tree.

[uberdragon]

Before I read it, my first thought was "woah. Its a freaking dragon nebula." then I read the description, and I guess it does look like a goat sorta.

[Crestlinger]

Not just A dragon THIS dragon!

http://www.wayrift.com/ch23-pg35/

And what's more his origin actually Fits for interstellar appearances.

[Anthony Barreiro]

Beautiful picture. Looks like a goat to me, but I can also see the dragon. I'm partial to goats, because I've met a few, and I've never met a dragon. From the distorted shape of the house in the foreground, I suspect the photographer may have been entheogenically enhanced, which could also account for the vivid colors and arresting shapes in the aurora.

P.S. It has been fun to watch Uranus retrograding past 44 Piscium for the past month.

[ET the first]

While similiar to a goat, particularly the muzzle, it is very much like several sf-fantasy illustrators' version of a dragon with what appears to be a flowing mane.

Reminds me of the aurora I saw while driving north in Michigan about 20 years or so ago. We were about 90 to 100 mi NW of Detroit when the aurora began sweeping across the sky. A number of vehicles pulled off the interstate to line up along a dark country road and watch the show. I have seen several minor displays but never one so vivid and rapidly changing as that one. It was a kaledoscopic dispay of rapidly changing changing brilliant color and shapes.

[Chris Peterson]

If I may continue on the subject of todays APOD and see animals portrayed in the nightsky, I submit today's astronomers would name these constellations somewhat differently, based on today's surroundings. Such as " 69 Torino Cobrajet " constellation, oh yes, I see the " Eiffel Tower " nebula, " the Great Wall of China " peculiar galaxy.....

Of course. We can see this in the names of the existing constellations- those in the north have ancient names tied to the mythology of early civilizations. But those in the far south were named by Europeans in the 16th and 17th centuries- an age of exploration and technology. So the southern constellations have very different sorts of names- Telescopium, Octans, Carina, Circinus, Reticulum, Pictor, Horologium, Vela, Microscopium, and many others, all representing the technology and newly discovered animals of the times.

[pimorton]

When I first saw the picture I saw an eagle, but I also see the goat.

[mbrazinski]

It's Uncle Deadly!