Marmalade Skies over Gemini North Telescope in Hawaii

Marmalade Skies over Gemini North Telescope in Hawaii

The skies over Gemini North (left), one half of the International Gemini Observatory, in Hawai‘i, are alive with color in this image. The International Gemini Observatory is funded in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by NSF NOIRLab. The gorgeous orange tint of the night sky seen here is due to a phenomenon called airglow. Airglow is primarily caused when sunlight excites atoms and molecules in Earth’s upper atmosphere by transferring energy to them. This excess energy is released as a particle of light called a photon. The frequency of each photon determines which captivating color will appear. It is possible to see this light with the naked eye under very dark skies, but a camera can capture it more easily. 

Arcing against this marmalade sky is the Milky Way, and beneath it, to the right, is another rarely seen phenomenon. The hazy white glow is zodiacal light, created by sunlight scattering off small interstellar dust particles leftover from the formation of our Solar System. This effect is mainly visible during evening and morning twilight along the plane of the Solar System and the zodiac constellations, thus giving this effect its name.

Tomáš Slovinský, the photographer, is a NOIRLab Audiovisual Ambassador.

Gemini North is one half of the International Gemini Observatory, partly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by NSF NOIRLab.

Learn more: https://noirlab.edu/public/programs/gemini-observatory/gemini-north/

Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/T. Slovinský
Release Date: Aug. 19, 2026

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