APOD 1.6

I chose to write about the auroras over Alaska because they continue to fascinate me. In the picture it appears as if it is the middle of the day and that the auroras are actually clouds that are being lit up from the Sun's light. However, it is actually night and the auroras are adding the light that is seen in the picture. The fact that an aurora can add enough light to make it appear as if it was the middle of the day is a very astounding fact in and of itself, which is only compounded by the brilliant colors that are released from it. Also, due to the very long time exposure of the picture, the path of the stars in the sky can easily be seen. This not only is very pretty to look at, but it also helps to increase the understanding of the motion of the stars during the night because the circular paths that they travel in is very easy to see and helps visually explain why some stars are circumpolar and can always be seen.