三重辉光中的冰岛夜空

2023年8月15日

A Triply Glowing Night Sky over Iceland
Credit & Copyright: Wioleta Gorecka; Text: Natalia Lewandowska (SUNY Oswego)

Explanation: The Sun is not the quiet place it seems. It expels an unsteady stream of energetic electrons and protons known as the solar wind. These charged particles deform the Earth’s magnetosphere, change paths, and collide with atoms in Earth’s atmosphere, causing the generation of light in auroras like that visible in green in the image left. Earth itself is also geologically active and covered with volcanoes. For example, Fagradalsfjall volcano in Iceland, seen emitting hot gas in orange near the image center. Iceland is one of the most geologically active places on Earth. On the far right is the Svartsengi geothermal power plant which creates the famous human-made Blue Lagoon, shown emitting white gas plumes. The featured composition therefore highlights three different sky phenomena, including both natural and human-made phenomena.

Tomorrow’s picture: a cosmic embrace

三重辉光中的冰岛夜空
影像提供与版权: Wioleta Gorecka; 文稿: Natalia Lewandowska (SUNY Oswego)

说明: 太阳并不像是看上去的那么安静。它会发出变化不定、由高能电子和质子流所构成的太阳风。这些带电粒子会让地球的磁层变形、也会改变路径、并与地球大气里的原子碰撞，激发它们发出极光，如上图左侧的绿色发光体所示。地球本身是地质上很活跃的地方，表面满是火山。地表火山的例证之一，是影像中心附近位于冰岛、不停排放橙色高温气体的Fagradalsfjall火山。而冰岛则是地球上地质活动最频繁的地方之一。在影像右缘的是Svartsengi地热发电厂，除了造就了著名的人造蓝色泻湖之外，此时正在排放羽状的白色气体。是以，这幅主题影像突显了包括自然和人造的三种不同之天空景观。

明日的图片: a cosmic embrace