Encore - River Dreams

October 14, 2017

River Dream (2)

Today and every Saturday Earth Science Picture of the Day invites you to rediscover favorites from the past. Saturday posts feature an EPOD that was chosen by viewers like you in our monthly Viewers' Choice polls. Join us as we look back at these intriguing and captivating images.

Photographer: David E. Cartier, Sr 
Summary Authors: David E. Cartier, Sr; Jim Foster

September 2012 Viewer's Choice The photo above featuring a dazzling aurora over Whitehorse, Canada and reflected on the calm waters of the Yukon River was observed the night of September 2/3, 2012. This magnificent chartreuse display was the result of a huge coronal mass ejection (charged particles) released from the Sun's upper atmosphere two days earlier. The aurora pattern was seen to change again and again but the mesmerizing drapes and folds were nearly always aligned with the magnetic field lines of Earth's magnetosphere. With recent episodes of increased solar activity, look for more aurora displays, some visible in the mid-latitudes, during the coming months.

Photo Details: Camera Maker: Canon; Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D; Aperture: f/0.0; Exposure Time: 8.000 s; ISO equiv: 800; Software: Microsoft Windows Live Photo Gallery14.0.8081.709.