Painting the sky with your own aurora is Tagsas easy as launching a NASA rocket into the Norwegian night.
The space agency orchestrated its own version of the light phenomena on Friday in order to understand the amount of energy auroras generate within Earth's upper atmosphere and beyond.
SEE ALSO: Trump wants astronauts back on the moon by 2024NASA launched two sounding rockets from Norway's Andøya Space Center, to generate artificial auroras against the backdrop of a real aurora. And it looks pretty magical:
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
The process is (somewhat uncomfortably) known as "auroral forcing," and is the main focus of the NASA-funded Auroral Zone Upwelling Rocket Experiment (AZURE).
The project will see eight rocket missions launch over the next two years from Norway's Andøya and Svalbard rocket ranges.
"The more we learn about auroras, the more we understand about the fundamental processes that drive near-Earth space — a region that is increasingly part of the human domain, home not only to astronauts but also communications and GPS signals that can affect those of us on the ground on a daily basis," NASA's blog post reads.
The sounding rockets, launched two minutes apart and reaching an altitude of 320 kilometres (198 miles) took measurements of the atmospheric density and temperature.
When the timing was just right, deployed both trimethyl aluminum (TMA) and a barium/strontium mixture, which ionises when exposed to sunlight.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
These colourful clouds work as tracers, so researchers can study the vertical winds in the region — these winds create what NASA refers to as a "particle soup" that redistributes the atmosphere's energy, chemical constituents, and momentum.
NASA said the chemicals released "pose no hazard to residents in the region."
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Pretty spectacular.
[h/t Popular Mechanics]
Trump gets failing grade for Puerto Rico response from San Juan mayor
Netflix wants to team with airline carriers to bring streaming to the sky in 2018
Amazon's Fire TV bundles massively undercut the Apple TV 4K
You can now use Alexa with Amazon's music app
SXSW 2025: How 'Territory' is revolutionizing VR accessibility with aesthetic access
Loyal to Google Chrome? Firefox Quantum might change that.
Star Trek: Discovery is forcing me to make a galactic decision
Dubai's autonomous flying taxi takes off for its first test flight
Best iPad deal: Save $132 on Apple iPad (10th Gen)
Loyal to Google Chrome? Firefox Quantum might change that.
Astronomers saw one galaxy impale another. The damage was an eye
'30 Rock' is coming to Hulu
Dyson really wants to clean everything, so it's developing an electric vehicle
This app will automatically invest your spare change in cryptocurrency
Eufy L60 robot vacuum: Get it for $279.95 at Amazon
Delta will offer free texting on flights, but never, never phone calls
The U.S. will start collecting social and search data on every immigrant soon
After almost a year, the video game voice actors strike is over
Amazon Spring Sale 2025: Best deals on cleaning supplies
Bill Gates has finally switched from the Windows Phone to an Android
Twitter Blue users can now upload 2 hours of HD video. Users are already uploading pirated movies.On Frederick Seidel’s “Spin”'Succession' Season 4, episode 9 dropped a major clue about the finale5 ChatGPT plugins that aren't worth your timeThursday: Me by Witold GombrowiczThe Difference Between Me and Ann Beattie by Thomas GebremedhinDear Lane Pryce, Some Retroactive Advice by Adam WilsonOn Frederick Seidel’s “Spin”An Arrow in Flight: The Pleasures of Mary Lavin by Belinda McKeonApple bans ChatGPT use by employees, report says'Quordle' today: See each 'Quordle' answer and hints for May 20'Quordle' today: See each 'Quordle' answer and hints for May 19The 1966 Tee, Ready for Summer by Sadie SteinDisaster in the Ninth by Christopher CoxFrancisco Goldman, Mexico City by Matteo PericoliFitbit's Sense smartwatch puts the spotlight on managing mental healthYou’re at a Justin Bieber Concert by Evan JamesDisaster in the Ninth by Christopher CoxBradbury, Trethewey, and an Android by The Paris ReviewNYU students use TikTok to expose the school's bleak quarantine meal plan NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for June 2: Tips to solve Connections #252 Best earbuds deal: Save $65 on the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro ZeniMax workers win a tentative union agreement Best robot vacuum deal: Save $150 on the iRobot Roomba Q0120 Best Apple deal: Save $30 on Apple Pencil Pro NYT mini crossword answers for May 31, 2025 Mars by 2026? The 4 key takeaways from Elon Musk's Starship update NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for May 31: Tips to solve Connections #250 Best tablet deal: Save $100 on the Amazon Fire Max 11 Dzumhur vs. Alcaraz 2025 livestream: Watch French Open for free NYT mini crossword answers for June 2, 2025 Elon Musk: Tesla is testing driverless robotaxis in Austin ahead of schedule Keys vs. Baptiste 2025 livestream: Watch French Open for free Nintendo adds new parental controls to Switch 2's GameChat Elon Musk says X is getting new XChat with 'Bitcoin style' encryption The M4 MacBook Air is on sale at its lowest price ever Best gaming deal: Get the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE for its lowest price Air conditioner deal: Windmill ACs are 15% off in this Amazon deal Best Amazon deal: The DJI Power 1000 is just $549 Report: Despite Bluesky’s growth, X remains the platform of choice for news influencers