Starship Asterisk*

Aurora and Milky Way in a Little Sky

Explanation: Stepping stones seem to lead to the Milky Way as it stretches across this little sky. Of course, the scene is really the northern hemisphere's autumnal equinox night. Water and sky are inverted by a top to bottom, around the horizon stereographic projection centered on the zenith above Lake Storsjön in Jämtland, Sweden. In the north the Milky Way arcs from east to west overhead as fall begins, but the season is also a good time for viewing aurora. Geomagnetic storms increase in frequency near the equinox and produce remarkable displays of northern lights at high latitudes, like the eerie greenish glow reflected in this watery cosmos.

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Great picture!

Why does the aurora increase around the equinox? I would have guessed that it would be highest around one of the solstices.

julianm3 wrote:Great picture!

Why does the aurora increase around the equinox? I would have guessed that it would be highest around one of the solstices.

I didn't know that either. Seems that it is still a mystery, though not entirely. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora#Fre ... occurrence

So...THAT is what it all looks like to a FISH...

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It's the Stargate!

Amazing...the "illusion"....

The sky...being enclosed...looks like a lake, with reflections,...and the Lake...being on Earth...looks like it is outside the Galaxy.....WHEW....I'm DIZZY!!

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I wonder if Storsjöodjuret saw the impressive scene?