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.

                                2020 June 19

                             The Veins of Heaven
        Image Credit & Copyright: Ruslan Merzlyakov (RMS Photography)

   Explanation: Transfusing sunlight through a darkened sky, this
   beautiful display of noctilucent clouds was captured earlier this week,
   reflected in calm waters from Nykobing Mors, Denmark. From the edge of
   space, about 80 kilometers above Earth's surface, the icy clouds
   themselves still reflect sunlight, though the Sun is below the horizon
   as seen from the ground. Usually spotted at high latitudes in summer
   months the night shining clouds have made an early appearance this year
   as northern nights grow short. Also known as polar mesopheric clouds
   they are understood to form as water vapor driven into the cold upper
   atmosphere condenses on the fine dust particles supplied by
   disintegrating meteors or volcanic ash. NASA's AIM mission provides
   daily projections of noctilucent clouds as seen from space.

                    Tomorrow's picture: solstice in space
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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