Rare Pink Aurora

Usually, Auroras are Green, Red or even Blue, but, in some rare occasions, they can appear to be pink:

Why is this aurora strikingly pink? When photographing picturesque Crater Lake in Oregon, USA last month, the background sky lit up with auroras of unusual colors. Although much is known about the physical mechanisms that create auroras, accurately predicting the occurrence and colors of auroras remains a topic of investigation. Typically, it is known, the lowest auroras appear green. These occur at about 100 kilometers high and involve atmospheric oxygen atoms excited by fast moving plasma from space. The next highest auroras -- at about 200 kilometers up -- appear red, and are also emitted by resettling atmospheric oxygen. Some of the highest auroras visible -- as high as 500 kilometers up -- appear blue, and are caused by sunlight-scattering nitrogen ions. When looking from the ground through different layers of distant auroras, their colors can combine to produce unique and spectacular hues, in this case rare pink hues seen above. As Solar Maximum nears over the next two years, particle explosions from the Sun are sure to continue and likely to create even more memorable nighttime displays.

Source: APOD

Beautiful, isn't it?

reply to post by elevenaugust


Pink is my favorite color and I find this to be absolutely beautiful! I also love when the sun sets here and the whole sky is pink and orange. (this picture reminds me of it) It is all beautiful! Star & Flag!

reply to post by elevenaugust


Wow, that is awesome! Thanks for sharing. Pink is such a cool color. Wow, I've been to Crater Lake! I thought this picture was taken in Alaska. Even better ^_^