Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                 2022 May 31
   [2]The featured image shows a Falon 9 rocket transiting in front of the
     Sun in mid May. The heat from the rocket's exhaust makes the Sun's
   outline appear to ripple. Please see the explanation for more detailed
                                information.

                        Rocket Transits Rippling Sun
                Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Michael Cain

   Explanation: The launch of a rocket at sunrise can result in unusual
   but intriguing images that feature both the rocket and the Sun. Such
   was the case last month when a [5]SpaceX [6]Falcon 9 rocket [7]blasted
   off from NASA's [8]Kennedy Space Center carrying [9]53 more
   [10]Starlink satellites into [11]low Earth orbit. In the [12]featured
   launch picture, the rocket's [13]exhaust plume glows beyond its
   projection onto the distant [14]Sun, the rocket itself appears
   [15]oddly jagged, and the Sun's lower edge shows peculiar [16]drip-like
   ripples. The [17]physical cause of all of these effects is pockets of
   relatively hot or rarefied air [18]deflecting sunlight less strongly
   than pockets relatively cool or compressed air: [19]refraction. Unaware
   of the Earthly show, active sunspot [20]region 3014 -- on the upper
   left -- slowly [21]crosses the Sun.

                       Tomorrow's picture: big dragons
     __________________________________________________________________

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     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [33]Robert Nemiroff ([34]MTU) & [35]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([36]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [37]Specific rights apply.
              [38]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [39]ASD at [40]NASA / [41]GSFC
                           & [42]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2205/FalconSun_Cain_2166.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.instagram.com/mdcainjr/
   5. https://www.spacex.com/mission/
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_9
   7. https://youtu.be/dQTgX40R-IQ?t=629
   8. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/home/index.html
   9. https://www.spacex.com/launches/sl4-18/
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink
  11. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/to-understand-low-earth-orbit-look-to-mt-everest
  12. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdsoc36O-xi/
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190420.html
  14. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/menu/sun/
  15. https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/532826/Blog_Images/Dogs-tilting-their-heads.jpg
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120422.html
  17. https://www.pressconnects.com/story/news/local/2016/05/19/why-do-we-see-waves-hot-objects/84598570/
  18. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-causes-a-mirage/
  19. https://youtu.be/m9cUy6B--xc
  20. https://spaceweather.com/images2022/18may22/hmi1898.gif
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150629.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220530.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  31. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=220531
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220601.html
  33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  35. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  36. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  39. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  42. http://www.mtu.edu/