Witness the Mesmerizing ‘Emerald Dance’ of Aurora from the Space Station!

Recently, Earth has experienced a remarkable abundance of auroras. The sun reached its “solar maximum” late last year, causing our star to enter an active phase, emitting flares and instigating vibrant, swirling light displays on Earth. NASA astronaut Don Pettit, who currently resides aboard the International Space Station, captured breathtaking footage of a verdant aurora as observed from above.

Pettit shared the flyover clip on social media on Jan. 5, accompanied by the simple caption, “Flying over aurora; intensely green.” No further elaboration was necessary; the visuals convey the essence entirely. The brief video showcases a glittering expanse of city lights below, while the radiant green aurora pulsates above the planet. Some components of the spacecraft attached to the ISS can be spotted in the upper left corner of the video.

Most individuals witness auroras from terrestrial viewpoints, where the lights shimmer across the skyline. Astronauts in orbit have a distinctly different perspective of this phenomenon. Combined with the city illuminations below, it offers an extraordinary view of the aurora’s size and form. Aurora enthusiasts typically capture images of these lights, but aerial video emphasizes how the luminescence undulates akin to a campfire.

Aurora hues

Auroras exhibit a variety of colors. Green and red are prevalent shades, yet they can also emerge in tints of pink, blue, purple, yellow, and white. “The multitude of colors seen in auroras is produced by different atoms and molecules within the atmosphere,” NASA explained in an overview. “When a high-energy particle collides with an oxygen atom, it emits red or green light based on the energy of the oxygen atom.”

Pettit is a skilled astrophotographer. The NASA veteran arrived for his latest stint at the ISS in September. This marks his third period on the station. Pettit’s social media profiles are brimming with stunning images from his perspective in orbit. He showcased a dazzling view of the Milky Way as seen through the window of a docked SpaceX Dragon crew capsule late last year. Earlier in 2024, he photographed the incoming comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS.

And a cosmic selfie

Pettit also turns his camera toward the inside of the space station. He took a clever cosmic selfie showing him and his camera reflected in the polished visor of a spacesuit helmet. The reflection provides a distorting view of part of the station behind him. Although the selfie is amusing, it’s challenging to rival the sheer magnificence of the scenes Pettit documents outside the station’s windows.

Auroras trace their origins back to the sun. The sun emits a flare or coronal mass ejection (an eruption of solar material) that impacts Earth’s atmosphere. The outcome is the luminescent, dancing auroras. The sun’s current phase of intense activity indicates that auroras are frequently occurring. The European Space Agency produced a video illustrating the sun’s intensified activity over recent years, showcasing how lively our nearest star has become. The solar maximum phase in the sun’s cycle may persist for another year or so, which is promising news for aurora enthusiasts both on Earth and in space.