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.

                                2025 July 11
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                             The Veins of Heaven
      Image Credit & [3]Copyright: P-M Hedén ([4]Clear Skies, [5]TWAN)

   Explanation: [6]Transfusing sunlight as the sky grew darker, this
   exceptional display of noctilucent clouds was captured [7]on July 10,
   reflected in the calm waters of Vallentuna Lake near Stockholm, Sweden.
   From the edge of space, about 80 kilometers above Earth's surface, the
   [8]icy clouds themselves still reflect sunlight, even though the Sun is
   below the horizon as seen from the ground. [9]Usually spotted at high
   latitudes in summer months, the night shining clouds have made a strong
   showing so far during the short northern summer nights. Also known as
   polar mesopheric clouds they [10]are understood to form as water vapor
   driven into the cold upper atmosphere condenses on the fine dust
   particles supplied by disintegrating meteors or volcanic ash.

                      Tomorrow's picture: light-weekend
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    Authors & editors: [22]Robert Nemiroff ([23]MTU) & [24]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([25]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [26]Specific rights apply.
            [27]NASA Web Privacy, [28]Accessibility, [29]Notices;
                A service of: [30]ASD at [31]NASA / [32]GSFC,
                         [33]NASA Science Activation
                           & [34]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2507/NLCreflectionsHeden.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.clearskies.se/
   5. https://twanight.org/
   6. https://vimeo.com/101077253
   7. https://twanight.org/gallery/reflections-of-noctilucent-clouds/
   8. https://science.nasa.gov/get-involved/citizen-science/space-cloud-watch-needs-your-photos-of-night-shining-clouds/
   9. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=48892
  10. http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/23dec_antarctica/
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250710.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  15. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  17. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  20. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250711
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250712.html
  22. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  23. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  24. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  25. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  27. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  28. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  29. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  30. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/
  32. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  33. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  34. http://www.mtu.edu/