APOD: 2022 May 31 - Rocket Transits Rippling Sun

Good morning, Rallypoint, and welcome to the May 31st edition of Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD): "Rocket Transits Rippling Sun." Any launch is an experience to look forward to, but being able to use the Sun as a backdrop provides a glimpse into otherwise unseen atmospheric dynamics. Here, we see a morning launch of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a batch of Starlink satellites into orbit earlier this month. Rarefied, or relatively hot air, can deflect sunlight, while cooler air refracts it. So we see the rocket appear jagged against the Sun, the rocket's exhaust plume algow, and the Sun itself appear to be dripping. Cool shot.