airglow
Upper atmosphere shimmer
Airglow is a faint luminescence in Earth's upper atmosphere, caused by chemical reactions among gas molecules energized by solar radiation.
Unlike aurora, which appears in polar regions and shimmers dramatically, airglow is diffuse and present globally, visible mainly to sensitive instruments or dark-adapted eyes far from light pollution: The satellite captured images of the green airglow band.
Light from molecular reactions
- photochemistryStudy of radiation-induced reactions
- luminescenceHeatless light emission
- emissionDischarged substance or act
- recombinationGenetic material exchange process
excitation · hydroxyl · radiative · greenlight · redlight · upper atmosphere · natural light
Atmospheric layer, 50-85km up
- thermosphereHigh-temperature atmospheric zone
- ionosphereCharged upper atmospheric layer
- exosphereAtmosphere's outermost region
- atmosphericOf the air above
oxygen · nitrogen · photons · solar radiation · alkali · geophysical
Light after sunset
- duskDimming after sundown
- nighttimeDark hours between dusk and dawn
- darknessTotal absence of light
- starlightLuminance from distant suns
celestial · zenith · horizon · nocturnal · moonless · visible · faint · diffuse
Polar atmospheric light display
- southern lightsPolar luminescence, hemisphere opposite
- polar lightsAtmospheric luminous phenomenon
- auroralOf the dawn
- geomagneticOf Earth's magnetic properties
solar wind · magnetosphere · ionization · charged particles · plasma · solar flares · geomagnetic storm · Birkeland currents
Instrument magnifying faraway objects
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- infraredHeat-bearing electromagnetic waves
- photometerDevice measuring illumination levels
- satellite imageryEarth views from orbit
spectrometer · interferometer · ground-based · space-based · imager · detector · wavelength · intensity
chemiluminescence
Light from molecular reactions
- photochemistryStudy of radiation-induced reactions
- luminescenceHeatless light emission
- emissionDischarged substance or act
recombination · excitation · hydroxyl · radiative · greenlight · redlight · upper atmosphere · natural light
mesosphere
Atmospheric layer, 50-85km up
- thermosphereHigh-temperature atmospheric zone
- ionosphereCharged upper atmospheric layer
- exosphereAtmosphere's outermost region
atmospheric · oxygen · nitrogen · photons · solar radiation · alkali · geophysical
twilight
Light after sunset
starlight · celestial · zenith · horizon · nocturnal · moonless · visible · faint · diffuse · ambient
northern lights
Polar atmospheric light display
- southern lightsPolar luminescence, hemisphere opposite
- polar lightsAtmospheric luminous phenomenon
- auroralOf the dawn
geomagnetic · solar wind · magnetosphere · ionization · charged particles · plasma · solar flares · geomagnetic storm · Birkeland currents
telescope
Instrument magnifying faraway objects
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- infraredHeat-bearing electromagnetic waves
- photometerDevice measuring illumination levels
satellite imagery · spectrometer · interferometer · ground-based · space-based · imager · detector · wavelength · intensity · skygazing
airglowaurora
Atmospheric light display
aurora borealis · aurora australis · northern lights · southern lights · lightning
air, glow, glowing, airy, glower, aurora, gloaming, afterglow, alpenglow