Explanation: On September 12, from a location just south of the Arctic Circle, stones of Iceland's modern Arctic Henge point skyward in this startling scene. Entertaining an intrepid group of aurora hunters during a geomagnetic storm, alluring northern lights dance across the darkened sky when a stunning fireball meteor explodes. Awestruck, the camera-equipped skygazers captured video and still images of the boreal bolide, at its peak about as bright as a full moon. Though quickly fading from view, the fireball left a lingering visible trail or persistent train. The wraith-like trail was seen for minutes wafting in the upper atmosphere at altitudes of 60 to 90 kilometers along with the auroral glow.
Very cool. I was confused about why the mouse-over image showing the fireball had a much brighter blue sky, but the linked-to video revealed that it was the fireball itself that lit everything up!
Re: APOD: Fireball over Iceland (2023 Sep 16)
Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2023 1:43 pm
by Ann
johnnydeep wrote: ↑Sat Sep 16, 2023 1:13 pm
Very cool. I was confused about why the mouse-over image showing the fireball had a much brighter blue sky, but the linked-to video revealed that it was the fireball itself that lit everything up!
I was confused as to why the ground did seem to be lit up by the fireball. I guess it wasn't bright enough for that.
It was nothing like the Chelyabinsk meteor, in other words!
Click to play embedded YouTube video.
Ann
Re: APOD: Fireball over Iceland (2023 Sep 16)
Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2023 2:58 pm
by orin stepanek
Wonderful; first I've heard of an Artic Henge!
Re: APOD: Fireball over Iceland (2023 Sep 16)
Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2023 3:24 pm
by johnnydeep
orin stepanek wrote: ↑Sat Sep 16, 2023 2:58 pm
ArcticHenge_Letelier_960_annotated.jpg
Wonderful; first I've heard of an Artic Henge!
Yeah, it looks pretty cool. I remembered the APOD from march that the text linked to.
Fireball over Iceland
