July 31, 2014
Galaxies were colliding long before you were born, and they will keep colliding long after us all.
Veins of Heaven
Birthday · July 31, 2014
A little universe, just for you
Your date.
Ready to give.
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APOD published July 31, 2014. Credit: Clear Skies. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
Transfusing sunlight through a still dark sky, this exceptional display of noctilucent clouds was captured earlier this month above the island of Gotland, Sweden. From the edge of space, about 80 kilometers above Earth's surface, the icy clouds reflect sunlight even though the Sun itself is below the horizon as seen from the ground. Usually spotted at high latitudes in summer months the night shining clouds made a strong showing this July. 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.
Image credit: Clear Skies