An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

The faint ever-present glow in the → night time → sky caused by the → collision
of → atoms and → molecules in Earth’s → upper atmosphere with high energy → particles and → radiation,
mainly from the → Sun. The airglow, also called nightglow, varies with time of night, → latitude, and → season.

See also: → air; → glow;
→ night.