Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]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 [2]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: [3]Mickael Coulon Explanation: Is this the largest hummingbird ever? Although it may look like a popular fluttering [4]nectarivore, what is pictured is actually a beautifully detailed and colorful [5]aurora, complete with rays reminiscent of feathers. This [6]aurora was so bright that it was visible to the unaided eye during [7]blue hour -- just after sunset when the [8]sky appears a darkening blue. However, the [9]aurora only looked like a [10]hummingbird through a sensitive camera able to pick up faint glows. As [11]reds typically occurring higher in the [12]Earth's atmosphere than the greens, the real [13]3D shape of this aurora would likely appear unfamiliar. [14]Auroras are created when an [15]explosion on the Sun causes high energy particles to flow into the Earth's atmosphere and [16]excite atoms and molecules of nitrogen and oxygen. The [17]featured image was captured about two weeks ago above [18]Lyngseidt, [19]Norway. Tomorrow's picture: fly high __________________________________________________________________ [20]< | [21]Archive | [22]Submissions | [23]Index | [24]Search | [25]Calendar | [26]RSS | [27]Education | [28]About APOD | [29]Discuss | [30]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [31]Robert Nemiroff ([32]MTU) & [33]Jerry Bonnell ([34]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [35]Specific rights apply. [36]NASA Web Privacy, [37]Accessibility, [38]Notices; A service of: [39]ASD at [40]NASA / [41]GSFC, [42]NASA Science Activation & [43]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2502/BirdAurora_Coulon_2581.jpg 3. https://www.instagram.com/mickael_coulon_astrophoto/ 4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nectarivore 5. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/aurora/ 6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241223.html 7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_hour 8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210826.html 9. https://www.aurorasaurus.org/ 10. https://www.hummingbirdcentral.com/hummingbird-faqs.htm 11. https://img.apmcdn.org/7a6d073179a68e50dbf9833adb72225a76554a51/uncropped/0011cd-20241011-nws-aurora-colors-webp1000.webp 12. https://www.nasa.gov/general/what-is-earths-atmosphere/ 13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230624.html 14. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/ 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240818.html 16. https://www.reddit.com/r/Eyebleach/comments/hwt0yz/happy_kitty/#lightbox 17. https://www.instagram.com/p/DFhlId7M9TP/ 18. https://youtu.be/gbkRxvcsQqQ 19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250209.html 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 24. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 26. https://apod.com/feed.rss 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 29. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250210 30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250211.html 31. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 32. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 33. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 34. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 35. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 36. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 37. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 38. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 39. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 40. https://www.nasa.gov/ 41. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 42. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 43. http://www.mtu.edu/