NASA Astronaut Captures Auroras Over Southern Hemisphere From ISS

NASA astronauts Jonny Kim and Anne McClain have recently captured stunning aurora displays from space, showcasing vibrant northern and southern lights visible from the International Space Station and SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. These cosmic light shows highlight charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth's atmosphere, creating spectacular glows over regions like Southeast Asia, Australia, and the polar areas. Beyond Earth, auroras also occur on other planets such as Venus and Mars, where different mechanisms produce varied auroral phenomena despite lacking global magnetic fields. Meanwhile, the European Space Agency's EarthCARE satellite, alongside coordinated airborne campaigns, studies the Arctic atmosphere to better understand how clouds, aerosols, and trace gases affect climate and energy balance amid rapidly changing polar conditions. This research is crucial as melting sea ice and pollutants influence ozone depletion and atmospheric dynamics, impacting aurora visibility and Arctic environmental health. As space-based views of auroras gain popularity online, they inspire renewed interest in witnessing these natural wonders both from Earth’s best viewing spots and beyond.