Apparent motion of the oxygen airglow

These images show the apparent motion of the oxygen airglow (O2 emission) visible in the atmosphere of Venus on the night-side, as viewed by the Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) on board ESA’s Venus Express.

The images where obtained in July 2006 at 1.27-micrometre wavelength, and from a distance of about 65 000 km from the surface.

The arrows show the apparent motion of the airglow (‘apparent wind field map’), which is related to the global circulation of the dynamic upper atmosphere of Venus.

The oxygen - in particular its nightglow emission - is used as a tracer of the global circulation at this altitude.