April Aurora Above Quebec
May 10, 2006
Provided by: Philippe Moussette
Summary authors & editors: Jim Foster; Philippe Moussette
The beguiling aurora above was taken on April 23, 2006, from near Parc des Laurentides, Québec, Canada. The aurora borealis (northern lights) result when charged particles emanating from the Sun are captured by the Earth’s magnetic field. As these particles spiral down toward the north and south poles, they collide with nitrogen and oxygen in the Earth's upper atmosphere, and upon doing so typically emit green light -- less frequently red light is emitted. [Revised May 2017]
Photo Details: Canon 20D camera, 30 seconds exposure, 1600 ASA, 17 mm, F4.
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