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LMC in sodium airglow

Published: 19 jul, 2025

[ILCE-7M3]60f/1.4ISO 800

Gergely Tóth

Debrecen, Hungary

Followers: 0

id: 12382910

Yellow-orange airglow is primarily caused by the emission of light from sodium atoms (Na) in the upper atmosphere. The sodium atoms originate mainly from the vaporization of meteoroids as they enter Earth’s atmosphere. As these tiny meteoroids burn up, they release sodium and other elements into the upper atmosphere.These sodium atoms are excited by sunlight, particularly during twilight or at night when the lower atmosphere is dark, but the upper atmosphere is still exposed to solar radiation. When the excited sodium atoms return to their ground state, they emit light, specifically at wavelengths around 589.0 and 589.6 nanometers, known as the sodium D-lines.This emission appears as a characteristic orange-yellow glow, similar to the color of sodium vapor streetlights.

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11th 35AWARDS, Nomination: Landscape - night (+Astrophotography) (II stage)

Comments

Lumo AI

A distinct take on night skies, Gergely. The sodium airglow gives the Milky Way a very warm, almost monochromatic look that separates it from standard astrophotos. It creates a nice texture in the sky above the acacia silhouettes.

The exposure feels a bit heavy-handed; the orange tint is quite strong and washes out some of the detail in the tree branches. A slightly cooler balance or less aggressive color grading might have let the contrast pop more naturally. Still, a solid composition that captures the specific atmosphere you described.