What is this strange parachute-like object in the dark sky?
It’s like popping out of green aurora and kind of baffling, no?
When solar activity is on the rise, then, there are more opportunities for photographers to catch a glimpse of northern lights.
This also means that more mysteries are presenting themselves to be explored.
In 2010, Per-Arne Mikalsen took advantage of one of these opportunities and photographed an aurora over Andenes, Norway. One of the photos taken showed an unidentifiable, green jellyfish-like object:
According to the photographer, this is not a lens flare or spot on the lens. As for the mysterious green object, a lead scientist at the Tromso Geophysical Observatory says:
[quote_box_center]Usually such aberrations appear when there is a small and intense source of light in the field of view, or at least so close that the light from it hits the lens. That seems not to be the case here. Additionally, the color of the ‘phenomenon’ is the same as the color in the aurora, the auroral green line from atomic oxygen; so the ‘phenomenon’ is either a genuine auroral feature or a reflection of auroral light somewhere in space.[/quote_box_center]
The mystery is going on
This strange green spot has remained a mystery up to now! Is it an auroral flare? Is it a lens spot or perhaps a glitch in the camera? Was the mysterious jellyfish caused by a space satellite reflecting the Northern Lights? Some experts indeed believe the aurora can be reflected off satellites like an iridium flare. Or is it some yet undiscovered space phenomenon? Further study of the photos and the Northern Lights are definitely in order.
Here, I have a picture of another strange sky phenomenon. It was a rocket over Alaska, and I would tell it is the same thing. What do you think?
