Sounding Off in the Ionosphere Last night, NASA launched a pair of rockets from the Marshall Islands to paint the upper atmosphere red and white. It was part of a project called EVEX designed to observe special “neutral winds” in the ionosphere. The ionosphere extends into what we call “outer space”, and is part of Earth’s electromagnetic shield protecting us from solar sterilization. When low-energy sunlight reacts with the upper atmosphere, we see a phenomenon called “airglow” (which you’ll probably recognize from photos like this). When high-energy particles from the solar wind strike the polar upper atmosphere, we get auroras (click here to learn more about those). Of course, that means that disturbances way up there can block important signals like GPS transmissions, which makes generals and smartphone users rather angry. So to study how odd ionosphere winds can cause glitches, NASA launched two rockets a few minutes apart, each arriving simultaneously at different ionosphere altitudes. They released harmless chemicals that react with the thin air to make brilliant clouds that can be tracked from the ground.  It also kind of looks like a space ghost-baby is about to be made. More info at NASA’s website.
Pop-upView Separately

Sounding Off in the Ionosphere

Last night, NASA launched a pair of rockets from the Marshall Islands to paint the upper atmosphere red and white. It was part of a project called EVEX designed to observe special “neutral winds” in the ionosphere.

The ionosphere extends into what we call “outer space”, and is part of Earth’s electromagnetic shield protecting us from solar sterilization. When low-energy sunlight reacts with the upper atmosphere, we see a phenomenon called “airglow” (which you’ll probably recognize from photos like this). When high-energy particles from the solar wind strike the polar upper atmosphere, we get auroras (click here to learn more about those).

Of course, that means that disturbances way up there can block important signals like GPS transmissions, which makes generals and smartphone users rather angry. So to study how odd ionosphere winds can cause glitches, NASA launched two rockets a few minutes apart, each arriving simultaneously at different ionosphere altitudes. They released harmless chemicals that react with the thin air to make brilliant clouds that can be tracked from the ground. 

It also kind of looks like a space ghost-baby is about to be made.

More info at NASA’s website.

In case you’re curious, this is atmospheric airglow, NOT the aurora. It’s caused by similar, beautiful excitation of atoms like oxygen and nitrogen way up in the atmosphere, but the energy comes from different places. Whereas auroras are caused by the electrons and protons ejected from the Sun in the solar wind, airglow comes from less-intense energized radiation from sunlight itself, like UV rays. Check here for more! It’s like Earth’s candy shell.
Pop-upView Separately

In case you’re curious, this is atmospheric airglow, NOT the aurora.

It’s caused by similar, beautiful excitation of atoms like oxygen and nitrogen way up in the atmosphere, but the energy comes from different places. Whereas auroras are caused by the electrons and protons ejected from the Sun in the solar wind, airglow comes from less-intense energized radiation from sunlight itself, like UV rays. Check here for more!

It’s like Earth’s candy shell.

(via infinity-imagined)

discoverynews: wildlydistorted: What does it feel like to fly over planet Earth? A time lapse taken from the front of the International Space Station as it orbits our planet at night. Beginning over the Pacific Ocean and continuing over North and South America before entering daylight near Antarctica.Visible cities, countries and landmarks include (in order) Vancouver Island, Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles. Phoenix. Multiple cities in Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. Mexico City, the Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, El Salvador, Lightning in the Pacific Ocean, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Lake Titicaca, and the Amazon. Also visible is the Earth’s ionosphere (thin yellow line), a satellite and the stars of our galaxy. ohmegurd. such a cool photoset. must reblog. If you listen very closely, you can hear me giving Alice over at wildlydistorted the biggest slow clap of the week. Fantastic photoset. The “thin yellow line” that the post refers to is a phenomenon called atmospheric airglow. You might remember talking about it after this superb ISS time lapse, but in case you need a refresher here’s the atmospheric chemistry behind airglow, the glowing shell of Earth’s atmosphere when viewed from the side.
Zoom Info
discoverynews: wildlydistorted: What does it feel like to fly over planet Earth? A time lapse taken from the front of the International Space Station as it orbits our planet at night. Beginning over the Pacific Ocean and continuing over North and South America before entering daylight near Antarctica.Visible cities, countries and landmarks include (in order) Vancouver Island, Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles. Phoenix. Multiple cities in Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. Mexico City, the Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, El Salvador, Lightning in the Pacific Ocean, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Lake Titicaca, and the Amazon. Also visible is the Earth’s ionosphere (thin yellow line), a satellite and the stars of our galaxy. ohmegurd. such a cool photoset. must reblog. If you listen very closely, you can hear me giving Alice over at wildlydistorted the biggest slow clap of the week. Fantastic photoset. The “thin yellow line” that the post refers to is a phenomenon called atmospheric airglow. You might remember talking about it after this superb ISS time lapse, but in case you need a refresher here’s the atmospheric chemistry behind airglow, the glowing shell of Earth’s atmosphere when viewed from the side.
Zoom Info
discoverynews: wildlydistorted: What does it feel like to fly over planet Earth? A time lapse taken from the front of the International Space Station as it orbits our planet at night. Beginning over the Pacific Ocean and continuing over North and South America before entering daylight near Antarctica.Visible cities, countries and landmarks include (in order) Vancouver Island, Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles. Phoenix. Multiple cities in Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. Mexico City, the Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, El Salvador, Lightning in the Pacific Ocean, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Lake Titicaca, and the Amazon. Also visible is the Earth’s ionosphere (thin yellow line), a satellite and the stars of our galaxy. ohmegurd. such a cool photoset. must reblog. If you listen very closely, you can hear me giving Alice over at wildlydistorted the biggest slow clap of the week. Fantastic photoset. The “thin yellow line” that the post refers to is a phenomenon called atmospheric airglow. You might remember talking about it after this superb ISS time lapse, but in case you need a refresher here’s the atmospheric chemistry behind airglow, the glowing shell of Earth’s atmosphere when viewed from the side.
Zoom Info
discoverynews: wildlydistorted: What does it feel like to fly over planet Earth? A time lapse taken from the front of the International Space Station as it orbits our planet at night. Beginning over the Pacific Ocean and continuing over North and South America before entering daylight near Antarctica.Visible cities, countries and landmarks include (in order) Vancouver Island, Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles. Phoenix. Multiple cities in Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. Mexico City, the Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, El Salvador, Lightning in the Pacific Ocean, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Lake Titicaca, and the Amazon. Also visible is the Earth’s ionosphere (thin yellow line), a satellite and the stars of our galaxy. ohmegurd. such a cool photoset. must reblog. If you listen very closely, you can hear me giving Alice over at wildlydistorted the biggest slow clap of the week. Fantastic photoset. The “thin yellow line” that the post refers to is a phenomenon called atmospheric airglow. You might remember talking about it after this superb ISS time lapse, but in case you need a refresher here’s the atmospheric chemistry behind airglow, the glowing shell of Earth’s atmosphere when viewed from the side.
Zoom Info
discoverynews: wildlydistorted: What does it feel like to fly over planet Earth? A time lapse taken from the front of the International Space Station as it orbits our planet at night. Beginning over the Pacific Ocean and continuing over North and South America before entering daylight near Antarctica.Visible cities, countries and landmarks include (in order) Vancouver Island, Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles. Phoenix. Multiple cities in Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. Mexico City, the Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, El Salvador, Lightning in the Pacific Ocean, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Lake Titicaca, and the Amazon. Also visible is the Earth’s ionosphere (thin yellow line), a satellite and the stars of our galaxy. ohmegurd. such a cool photoset. must reblog. If you listen very closely, you can hear me giving Alice over at wildlydistorted the biggest slow clap of the week. Fantastic photoset. The “thin yellow line” that the post refers to is a phenomenon called atmospheric airglow. You might remember talking about it after this superb ISS time lapse, but in case you need a refresher here’s the atmospheric chemistry behind airglow, the glowing shell of Earth’s atmosphere when viewed from the side.
Zoom Info
discoverynews: wildlydistorted: What does it feel like to fly over planet Earth? A time lapse taken from the front of the International Space Station as it orbits our planet at night. Beginning over the Pacific Ocean and continuing over North and South America before entering daylight near Antarctica.Visible cities, countries and landmarks include (in order) Vancouver Island, Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles. Phoenix. Multiple cities in Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. Mexico City, the Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, El Salvador, Lightning in the Pacific Ocean, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Lake Titicaca, and the Amazon. Also visible is the Earth’s ionosphere (thin yellow line), a satellite and the stars of our galaxy. ohmegurd. such a cool photoset. must reblog. If you listen very closely, you can hear me giving Alice over at wildlydistorted the biggest slow clap of the week. Fantastic photoset. The “thin yellow line” that the post refers to is a phenomenon called atmospheric airglow. You might remember talking about it after this superb ISS time lapse, but in case you need a refresher here’s the atmospheric chemistry behind airglow, the glowing shell of Earth’s atmosphere when viewed from the side.
Zoom Info
discoverynews: wildlydistorted: What does it feel like to fly over planet Earth? A time lapse taken from the front of the International Space Station as it orbits our planet at night. Beginning over the Pacific Ocean and continuing over North and South America before entering daylight near Antarctica.Visible cities, countries and landmarks include (in order) Vancouver Island, Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles. Phoenix. Multiple cities in Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. Mexico City, the Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, El Salvador, Lightning in the Pacific Ocean, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Lake Titicaca, and the Amazon. Also visible is the Earth’s ionosphere (thin yellow line), a satellite and the stars of our galaxy. ohmegurd. such a cool photoset. must reblog. If you listen very closely, you can hear me giving Alice over at wildlydistorted the biggest slow clap of the week. Fantastic photoset. The “thin yellow line” that the post refers to is a phenomenon called atmospheric airglow. You might remember talking about it after this superb ISS time lapse, but in case you need a refresher here’s the atmospheric chemistry behind airglow, the glowing shell of Earth’s atmosphere when viewed from the side.
Zoom Info
discoverynews: wildlydistorted: What does it feel like to fly over planet Earth? A time lapse taken from the front of the International Space Station as it orbits our planet at night. Beginning over the Pacific Ocean and continuing over North and South America before entering daylight near Antarctica.Visible cities, countries and landmarks include (in order) Vancouver Island, Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles. Phoenix. Multiple cities in Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. Mexico City, the Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, El Salvador, Lightning in the Pacific Ocean, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Lake Titicaca, and the Amazon. Also visible is the Earth’s ionosphere (thin yellow line), a satellite and the stars of our galaxy. ohmegurd. such a cool photoset. must reblog. If you listen very closely, you can hear me giving Alice over at wildlydistorted the biggest slow clap of the week. Fantastic photoset. The “thin yellow line” that the post refers to is a phenomenon called atmospheric airglow. You might remember talking about it after this superb ISS time lapse, but in case you need a refresher here’s the atmospheric chemistry behind airglow, the glowing shell of Earth’s atmosphere when viewed from the side.
Zoom Info

discoverynews:

wildlydistorted:

What does it feel like to fly over planet Earth?

A time lapse taken from the front of the International Space Station as it orbits our planet at night. Beginning over the Pacific Ocean and continuing over North and South America before entering daylight near Antarctica.
Visible cities, countries and landmarks include (in order) Vancouver Island, Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles. Phoenix. Multiple cities in Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. Mexico City, the Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, El Salvador, Lightning in the Pacific Ocean, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Lake Titicaca, and the Amazon. Also visible is the Earth’s ionosphere (thin yellow line), a satellite and the stars of our galaxy.

ohmegurd. such a cool photoset. must reblog.

If you listen very closely, you can hear me giving Alice over at wildlydistorted the biggest slow clap of the week. Fantastic photoset.

The “thin yellow line” that the post refers to is a phenomenon called atmospheric airglow. You might remember talking about it after this superb ISS time lapse, but in case you need a refresher here’s the atmospheric chemistry behind airglow, the glowing shell of Earth’s atmosphere when viewed from the side.

Source: wildlydistorted

lessrice replied to your photo: Iberian Peninsula aglow Hello, Spain and…

what is that peculiar yellow glow bordering the atmosphere/earth?

Excellent, excellent question.

The glow you see around the Earth in that picture (or any nighttime picture taken from orbit) is a phenomenon called “atmospheric airglow”. Here’s how it works:

  • During the day, short wavelength, high-energy radiation from the sun breaks atmospheric molecules into ions, like OH, N, O, Li, etc.
  • At night, when that energy subsides, the ions recombine, releasing photons in the process. The particular wavelength of light released depends on the ion, and the color depends on the wavelength.

In the picture of the Iberian peninsula, you are actually seeing green light emitted from oxygen atoms at about 100 km above the earth (the ISS is at about 350-400 km up). Below that are many more layers, some obscured by other colors, including the red glow from OH radicals at about 86 km up. 

One more piece of information to make looking at space photos that much more interesting.