A night photograph taken from a sailboat near Java island validates a satellite image of a giant, glowing “milky sea”
For centuries, mariners have told stories of sailing at night in “milky seas”—ephemeral patches of steadily glowing ocean that make the water’s surface appear ghostly green or white, sometimes stretching from horizon to horizon. Scientists have long been intrigued by this unusual type of bioluminescence, which is thought to be produced by bacteria. But they searched in vain for photographic evidence—until now.
Steven Miller, an atmospheric scientist at Colorado State University, has just published a paper that includes the first known photograph of a milky sea. It was taken by crew members on a ketch that sailed near the island of Java in the summer of 2019. In hopes of detecting milky seas from a distance, Miller had analyzed nearly a decade of data from the day-night band, a low-light visible-spectrum sensor carried on satellites traveling more than 500 miles above Earth’s surface. He identified a dozen events around the world as possible milky seas, including one just south of Java that appeared to have lasted for 45 nights in 2019.
After Miller and his colleagues published the analysis in 2021, he received an unexpected e-mail from Naomi McKinnon, an Australian medical student who had been a crew member on the yacht that sailed in 2019. After watching the sunset on August 2, 2019, McKinnon reported, she and her crewmates realized the surrounding ocean was aglow. “I said, ‘Why does everything look so awesome?’” McKinnon says, recounting the experience. “The water was the color of glow-in-the-dark stars.
Miller’s report of McKinnon’s sighting was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. It includes two shots taken by the crew: one was captured with a smartphone, and the other with a GoPro camera. The images provide a long-sought glimpse of an elusive phenomenon. They also confirm the accuracy of Miller’s satellite detection methods—raising hope that researchers can use satellite data to detect a milky sea as it forms and go to the location to study it firsthand.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
The 'black hole police' discover the first dormant one outside the Milky WayCapturing an image of a black hole is hard enough, so how do you detect one that’s dormant? An international team of scientists discovered a “dormant” black hole outside the Milky Way in a world first. Find out more at
Read more »
Must-See Celebrity Instagram Photos Of The WeekGisele Bundchen proves 'time flies' with yoga photos of daughter Vivian (via toofab)
Read more »
See Quinta Brunson as Oprah Winfrey in Daniel Radcliffe's 'Weird: The Al Yankovic Story'ICYMI: Check out a new first-look photo of Daniel Radcliffe and quintabrunson in 'Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.'
Read more »
Rebuilding Oakland Athletics stockpile pitchers on final day of MLB DraftThe A’s rounded out their draft class Tuesday with 10 more picks.
Read more »
Massive spotted eagle ray jumps into family’s boat during fishing rodeoIt was only day one of the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, but it was an exciting one for the Jones family.
Read more »