APOD: 2026 October 6 – A Complete Auroral Oval from SMILE
The post APOD: 2026 October 6 – A Complete Auroral Oval from SMILE appeared first on NASA Science .
On October 6, 2026, ESA, CAS, and SMILE collaborated to capture a complete auroral oval using SMILE's ultraviolet camera during daylight hours. The time-lapse video, spanning about an hour in late July, reveals the dynamic and turbulent nature of auroras. The video's frame shows distant stars, which appear to move only due to SMILE's shifting camera view as it orbits Earth.
SMILE's mission aims to enhance understanding of the Sun's wind interaction with Earth's magnetosphere, crucial for safeguarding astronauts, spacecraft, and ground-based electrical grids from solar storms.
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- APOD: 2026 October 6 – A Complete Auroral Oval from SMILE science.nasa.gov
