: light that is observed especially during the night, that originates in the high atmosphere of a planet (such as the earth), and that is associated with photochemical reactions of gases caused by solar radiation
Examples of airglow in a Sentence
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In 2023, Matthews approved a press release about an upcoming HAARP experiment that would create an airglow.
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Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
This perspective allows viewers to appreciate the curvature of the planet, accentuated by a thin, faint green layer of airglow along the horizon, a reminder of Earth's atmosphere glowing softly against the darkness of space.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 29 Dec. 2025
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Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
This perspective allows viewers to appreciate the curvature of the planet, accentuated by a thin, faint green layer of airglow along the horizon, a reminder of Earth's atmosphere glowing softly against the darkness of space.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 29 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Airglow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airglow. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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