nightglown.
/ˈnʌɪtɡləʊ/, U.S. /ˈnaɪtˌɡloʊ/ A faint glow seen in the night sky; (Meteorology) the faint light emitted by the upper atmosphere at night; nocturnal airglow.
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the world > matter > light > naturally occurring light > [noun] > light from the sky > light of night sky
skylight1644
night light1648
fairy light1792
nightglow1843
airglow1949
1843 W. E. Channing Poems 131 Day shed a rain of shining charms, And night glow golden passed with thee.
1878 Catholic World Feb. 679/2 The windows were open, and across the sensuous night-glow came sweet, soothing strains from the piano.
1921 Philos. Rev. 30 277 The cloud sailing through deep blue across the moon, morning star and western night glow.
1951 Jrnl. Geophysical Res. 56 325 The general term ‘airglow’ is used for radiations originating in the upper atmosphere. We use the term ‘nightglow’ to connote airglow at night to distinguish it from similar radiations which may be present (though not observable) in the daytime.
1972 Sci. Amer. Jan. 78/2 The nightglow can be observed with a photometer or a spectrometer.
1992 ‘J. Gash’ Lies of Fair Ladies (1993) xxxiii. 242 Not even a wash of nightglow from a curtain edge.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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