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                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2025 February 10
   A snowy landscape sits below a star filled sky. Dominating the frame is
     a large aurora in red, green, yellow, purple, white. Please see the
                 explanation for more detailed information.

                       Auroral Hummingbird over Norway
                  Image Credit & Copyright: Mickael Coulon

   Explanation: Is this the largest hummingbird ever? Although it may look
   like a popular fluttering nectarivore, what is pictured is actually a
   beautifully detailed and colorful aurora, complete with rays
   reminiscent of feathers. This aurora was so bright that it was visible
   to the unaided eye during blue hour -- just after sunset when the sky
   appears a darkening blue. However, the aurora only looked like a
   hummingbird through a sensitive camera able to pick up faint glows. As
   reds typically occurring higher in the Earth's atmosphere than the
   greens, the real 3D shape of this aurora would likely appear
   unfamiliar. Auroras are created when an explosion on the Sun causes
   high energy particles to flow into the Earth's atmosphere and excite
   atoms and molecules of nitrogen and oxygen. The featured image was
   captured about two weeks ago above Lyngseidt, Norway.

                        Tomorrow's picture: fly high
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
                  NASA Web Privacy, Accessibility, Notices;
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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