September 18, 2023
You were born into motion: oceans turning, continents drifting, clouds forming, planets circling, galaxies wheeling through the dark.
The Red Sprite and the Tree
Birthday · September 18, 2023
A little universe, just for you
Your date.
Ready to give.
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APOD published September 18, 2023. Credit: Maxime Villaeys. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
The sprite and tree could hardly be more different. To start, the red sprite is an unusual form of lightning, while the tree is a common plant. The sprite is far away -- high in Earth's atmosphere, while the tree is nearby -- only about a football field away. The sprite is fast -- electrons streaming up and down at near light's speed, while the tree is slow -- wood anchored to the ground. The sprite is bright -- lighting up the sky, while the tree is dim -- shining mostly by reflected light. The sprite was fleeting -- lasting only a small fraction of a second, while the tree is durable -- living now for many years. Both however, when captured together, appear oddly similar in this featured composite image captured early this month in France as a thunderstorm passed over mountains of the Atlantic Pyrenees. Your Sky Surprise: What picture did APOD feature on your birthday? (post 1995)
Image credit: Maxime Villaeys