This is the view from a planet in a close orbit around a magnetic flare star. These stars have such gigantic episodes of magnetic activity that they must have huge starspots, some of which have actually been imaged. Life on a nearby planet would be impossible. The atmosphere is almost entirely gone, stripped away. But there is still a residual exosphere, making this an ideal spot to go aurora-spotting – if you have a decent space suit.
      This was one of my very first digital paintings, created – before I invested in a Wacom tablet – entirely with a mouse in Photoshop!