APOD: 2026 October 6 – A Complete Auroral Oval from SMILE

APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 October 6 – A… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day 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. ESA, CAS, […]

science.nasa.gov ·2h ago

APOD: 2026 October 6 – A Complete Auroral Oval from SMILE

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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