Okay, that’s probably not the official term for it, but who cares… this is awesome.
(No copyright or other infringement intended)
An aurora, shining high above the northern part of Saturn, moves from the night side to the day side of the planet in this movie recorded by Cassini.
These observations, taken over four days, represent the first visible-light video of Saturn’s auroras. They show tall auroral curtains, rapidly changing over time when viewed at the limb, or edge, of the planet’s northern hemisphere. The sequence of images also reveals that Saturn’s auroral curtains, the sheet-like formations of light-emitting atmospheric molecules, stretch up along Saturn’s magnetic field and reach heights of more than 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) above the planet’s limb. These are the tallest known “northern lights” in the solar system.
(h/t Phil Plait)
That is very cool. Thanks!