Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

The Secret of the Black Aurora

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for January 1, 2002 is “The Secret of the Black Aurora,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Credit & Copyright: Jan Curtis). The original explanation runs about 119 words.

The Secret of the Black Aurora
Credit & Copyright: Jan Curtis Copyrighted Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“What causes black aurora? These gaps in normal bright aurora are frequently recorded but rarely questioned.”

— APOD editors, January 1, 2002

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
January 1, 2002
Type
Image
Credit
Credit & Copyright: Jan Curtis
Copyright
Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 119 words

All of January 2002 → · 2002 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

Auroras

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: January 1 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.