2025年2月10日
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
挪威上空的蜂鸟极光
影像提供与版权: Mickael Coulon
说明: 这是有史以来最大的蜂鸟吗？虽然它看似振翅飞舞吸食花蜜的蜂鸟，实际上，它是一例结构细致、色彩缤纷的极光，只是其辐线纹理让人联想到鸟羽。这例极光明亮至极，即使是日落后的天空，仍处在呈深蓝色的短暂蓝色时分，肉眼依然清楚可见。尽管如此，只有透过高感光的摄影机捕捉微光，才得以显现出极光具有蜂鸟的样貌。由于红色极光通常出现在较高层的地球大气，而绿色极光则位于较低层，因此这例极光的真实三维形状可能与我们所见的大为不同。极光起源于太阳发生爆发，把高能粒子注入地球的大气层，当大气中的氮与氧原子及它们的分子受到激发时，便会产生绚烂的极光。这张主题影像大约摄于二星期前，拍摄地点则为挪威的林塞伊德地区（Lyngseidt）。
明日的图片: fly high
