Subj : Daily APOD Report
To   : All
From : Alan Ianson
Date : Mon Sep 18 2023 05:23:20

                        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.

                              2023 September 18
    A lone tree is seen on the right of a dark grassy field. Above and on
      the right, a bright red filamentary glow is seen in the sky. The
    filaments of this glow may seem similar to the branches of the tree.
          Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                         The Red Sprite and the Tree
                     Credit & Copyright: Maxime Villaeys

   Explanation: 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)
                   Tomorrow's picture: star jets from webb
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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 * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)

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