Ultraviolet Earth from the Moon
Explanation:
Here's a switch: the above picture is of the
Earth taken from a
lunar observatory!
This
false color picture shows how the
Earth glows in
ultraviolet (UV) light.
UV light is so blue humans can't see it.
Very little
UV light is transmitted through the
Earth's atmosphere but what sunlight does make it
through can cause a
sunburn.
The
Far UV Camera / Spectrograph deployed and left
on the Moon by the crew of
Apollo 16 took
the above picture.
The part of the Earth facing the
Sun reflects much UV light,
but perhaps more interesting is the side facing
away from the Sun.
Here bands of
UV emission are also apparent.
These
bands are the result of
aurorae and are caused by
charged particles expelled by the Sun.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
