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Northern light dragon over Ersfjordbotn/Norway
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Created for the OAE
Caption: Second place in the 2021 IAU OAE Astrophotography Contest, category Aurorae (still images)
Aurorae often display waving curtain-like patterns where arcs or bands form moving curls, folds, or even spirals. These irregular shapes mirror the small-scale structure of Earth's magnetic field interacting with charged particle flows. Although the full Moon illuminates both the landscape and the night sky, the auroa is easily visible, which demonstrates that it can be a very bright and colourful phenomenon.
Credit: Rainer Sparenberg/IAU OAE
Glossary Terms:
Aurora , Geomagnetic Storm , Ionization
Categories:
Naked Eye Astronomy
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) icons
This file on Zenodo ( image 1.27 MB)
Neptune
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Caption: Voyager 2 Narrow Angle Camera image of Neptune taken in August 1989. The Great Dark Spot, flanked by cirrus clouds, is at center. A smaller dark storm, Dark Spot Jr., is rotating into view at bottom left. Additionally, a patch of white cirrus clouds to its north, named "Scooter" for its rapid motion relative to other features, is visible.
Credit: NASA / JPL / Voyager-ISS / Justin Cowart
Credit Link
Glossary Terms:
Giant Planet , Ice Giant , Neptune , Outer Planets
Categories:
Solar System
License: Public Domain Public Domain icons
File
( image
407.35 kB)
Our Sky
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Created for the OAE
Caption: Honorable mention in the 2023 IAU OAE Astrophotography Contest, category of Still images taken exclusively with smartphones/mobile devices.
In the brooding serenity of a night in Belgrade, Serbia, a captivating display of lightning was captured during an astrophotography class in January 2023. Lightning is a natural electrical discharge that occurs during thunderstorms when electrically charged regions of the atmosphere momentarily equalise. This photograph, taken with a smartphone, showcases the transient yet stunning power of these electrical storms. It reminds us of the raw forces of nature that paint the night sky with electrifying displays, offering a glimpse into the powerful dynamics of Earth's atmosphere.
Credit: Ema Radulović/IAU OAE (CC BY 4.0)
Tags:
astrophotography
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) icons
This file on Zenodo ( image 90.17 kB)
Record-Breaking Off-Earth Driving: Rovers on Mars & the Moon
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Caption: Part of the Simplifying Astronomy for Arabic Speakers project, this infographic highlights the longest distances traveled by rovers on Mars and the Moon, showcasing space exploration’s progress.
Top Rovers & Their Achievements
Mars: NASA’s Opportunity holds the record, covering 45.16 km between 2004–2018.
Moon: The Soviet Lunokhod 2 leads with 39 km, followed by Apollo rovers:
Apollo 17: 35.74 km
Apollo 15: 27.8 km
Apollo 16: 27.1 km
Mars vs. Moon: Different Challenges
1. Martian Terrain – Mars has a thin atmosphere, dust storms, and rugged landscapes, requiring durable, long-term rovers.
2. Lunar Terrain – The Moon’s cratered surface lacks an atmosphere, allowing easier movement but with shorter mission durations.
3. Mission Longevity – Mars rovers operate for years, while Apollo lunar rovers were used briefly.
Future Rovers & Expectations
Curiosity may reach 42.195 km, making it one of Mars' most traveled rovers.
Yutu-2 (China) continues exploring the Moon since 2019.
Conclusion
These record-breaking distances showcase technological advancements in planetary exploration. With continued innovation, future rovers will go even further, paving the way for ambitious human missions beyond Earth!
Credit: Ali Al-Edhari ; adapted from the original by NASA/JPL-Caltech
Glossary Terms:
Rover
Categories:
Space Exploration
Language: Arabic
Script: Arabic
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) icons
File
( image
1.66 MB)
