Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]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
    [2]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: [3]Maxime Villaeys

   Explanation: The sprite and tree could hardly be more different. To
   start, the red [4]sprite is an unusual form of lightning, while the
   tree is a [5]common plant. The sprite is [6]far away -- high in
   [7]Earth's atmosphere, while the tree is [8]nearby -- only about a
   football field away. The [9]sprite is fast -- [10]electrons streaming
   up and down at near [11]light's speed, while the tree is slow -- wood
   anchored to the ground. The [12]sprite is bright -- lighting up the
   sky, while the tree is dim -- shining mostly by reflected light. The
   [13]sprite was fleeting -- lasting only a small fraction of a second,
   while the [14]tree is durable -- living now for many years. Both
   however, when captured together, appear oddly similar in this
   [15]featured composite image captured early this month in France as a
   thunderstorm passed over mountains of the Atlantic Pyrenees.

   Your Sky Surprise: [16]What picture did APOD feature on your birthday?
                                 (post 1995)
                   Tomorrow's picture: star jets from webb
     __________________________________________________________________

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     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [28]Robert Nemiroff ([29]MTU) & [30]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([31]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [32]Specific rights apply.
              [33]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [34]ASD at [35]NASA / [36]GSFC,
                         [37]NASA Science Activation
                           & [38]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2309/SpriteTree_Villaeys_1333.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/maximevillaeys/
   4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprite_(lightning)
   5. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/12744/trees
   6. https://diaryofdennis.files.wordpress.com/2019/08/shy-cat-wants-me-to-keep-distance.jpg
   7. https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/upper-atmosphere-phenomena-caused-by-thunderstorms/
   8. https://www.petmoo.com/wp-content/uploads/toptengamaimages/how-to-select-the-right-pet-camera/latest-pet-camera-features.jpg
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210104.html
  10. https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/200010/history.cfm
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_light
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210330.html
  13. https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/11059
  14. https://onetreeplanted.org/blogs/stories/oldest-tallest-biggest-trees
  15. https://www.instagram.com/p/CwzJQ8ANidq/
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230917.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  21. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  26. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=230918
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230919.html
  28. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  29. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  30. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  31. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  34. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  37. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  38. http://www.mtu.edu/