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Birthday · September 9, 2017

Calm Waters and Geomagnetic Storm

September 9, 2017

Your birthday marks the moment a small planet circling a modest star gained another witness to its wonders.

Calm Waters and Geomagnetic Storm

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APOD published September 9, 2017. Credit: Chris Cook. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.

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Calm Waters and Geomagnetic Storm

Original APOD · September 9, 2017

Very recognizable stars of the northern sky are a backdrop for calm waters in this moonlit sea and skyscape off Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Taken on September 7, the photo also records a colorful display of northern lights or aurora borealis triggered by a severe geomagnetic storm. Visible crossing the Sun, the giant solar active region responsible, AR 2673, is much larger than planet Earth. It has produced the strongest flare of the current solar cycle and and the Earth-directed coronal mass ejection in the last few days.

Image credit: Chris Cook

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