When they’re not working on scientific research, astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) like to spend time peering out of the windows to marvel at an astonishing view that never gets old.
Orbiting Earth at around 250 miles up and at a speed of around 17,000 mph, those aboard the ISS experience 16 sunsets and sunrises a day. And in certain conditions, they can also enjoy spectacular aurora light shows, caused by particles from the sun interacting with Earth’s magnetic field.
From Earth, auroras — also known as the northern or southern lights according to the hemisphere in which they occur — appear as colorful lights dancing in the sky near the poles. Astronauts on the space station, meanwhile, witness glowing ribbons of light over the Earth’s curved horizon, against the dramatic backdrop of space.
NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, who arrived at the orbital outpost in August for a six-month stay, has just shared a stunning piece of footage (below) showing a recent aurora over parts of North America.
“I’ve still never seen aurora from below, but up here, it’s a frequent show,” Cardman wrote in a post on X. “Last week’s was especially good. See if you can spot Houston, Florida, and the northern lights all in one frame, before we head out across the Gulf and some great lightning storms over South America at sunrise.”
Recent ISS visitor Anne McClain offered her own take on the phenomenon. “Auroras from space always draw crewmembers to the Cupola,” the NASA astronaut wrote on X, referring to the seven-window module that offers the best views from the ISS. “It’s interesting how the aurora creeps along the top of the atmosphere as it comes up over the horizon.”
While the sun’s incoming particles can create this gorgeous spectacle, large solar storms can also have the effect of disrupting satellite operations and even Earth’s power grids. In fact, earlier this month, extreme solar activity caused some problems for GPS and radio communications on Earth, though fortunately nothing serious happened. And yes, it produced some impressive auroras, too.
