Satellite View of November 7 Aurora

November 19, 2004

Aurora-f16-08nov2004-0042utc

Provided by: Mark Conner, HQ AF Weather Agency, Air Force Weather Agency
Summary authors & editors: Jim Foster; Mark Conner

The above image is a nighttime satellite view of the impressive auroral display seen over much of North America during the evening of November 7, 2004. This image was taken by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F-16 satellite, orbiting at an altitude of about 450 nautical miles (about 833 km). The bright band across southeastern Canada, New England, and the upper Mid-West is the northern lights as observed at 7:42 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on November 7 (0042 UTC on November 8). DMSP satellites employ low-light sensors that are capable of detecting light in the visible wavelengths emanating from nighttime phenomena such as auroras, city lights, and reflected moonlight.

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