ground ’s magnetic field was pommel by a double coronal mass expulsion ( CME ) over the weekend , giving rise to more than 24 hours of geomagnetic storms and exceptionally beautiful northerly lights . Here , astrophotographerBrad Goldpainthas captured a rare visual sense : a arresting pink aurora borealis .
Goldpaint snapped this photograph [ cluck here for more view ] from the rim of Oregon ’s scenic Crater Lake . ( Spaceweather.com reports aurorae were recognize at latitudes as far south as Utah ! ) According to BadAstronomy ’s Phil Plait , it ’s rarified to see a pink aurora looking so vibrant , especially on its own . More distinctive hues include green , cherry-red and dark , and are usually pass off by O , O2 and N2 in Earth ’s upper atm :
If you have a informant of ruby-red and blue Inner Light , these can combine to make something expect magenta or pink , like in the diagram here . I powerfully distrust that ’s what ’s going on here ; we ’re take care a combination of red and blue light give out by atomic number 7 molecules high over the Earth , and our middle see that balance as pink . Cameras are designed to see colors much the way our heart do , so the aurora look pink in pictures as well .
show more about the science of atmospheric oculus atBad Astronomy . Check out scores more sensational astrophotography onBrad Goldpaint ’s website .
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