Video of Aurora Borealis Over America Shocks NASA Astronaut
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New video footage from space showing Aurora Borealis over northern United States and Canada has been revealed by an astronaut, who "wasn't expecting" to capture it.
U.S. astronaut Nichole Ayers, on the on the International Space Station as part of the SpaceX Crew 10 mission, said she had been trying to capture massive storms over North and South America, and unintentionally captured the Northern Lights
Sharing the footage to social media, she called it "a nice surprise."
What To Know
Aurora borealis is visible from space at certain times, one of which was captured on camera by Ayers as she surveyed the Earth's atmosphere.
In her video, filmed on on of the ISS's cameras, a green-purple aurora can be seen above the northern U.S. and Canada.
"The Aurora showed up this last weekend when I wasn't expecting it!" Ayers wrote on X.
"I was trying to capture the massive storms that went through both North and South America and got a nice surprise. The Aurora appeared right at sunset over the Northern US and Canada.
The Aurora showed up this last weekend when I wasn't expecting it! I was trying to capture the massive storms that went through both North and South America and got a nice surprise. The Aurora appeared right at sunset over the Northern US and Canada.
I'm also fascinated by just... pic.twitter.com/qwwepQGDiO — Nichole "Vapor" Ayers (@Astro_Ayers) May 23, 2025
Crew-10 mission astronauts NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers (C) waves to family members alongside NASA mission commander Anne McClain (R) and JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi (L) before heading to the launch pad at the Kennedy Space...
Crew-10 mission astronauts NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers (C) waves to family members alongside NASA mission commander Anne McClain (R) and JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi (L) before heading to the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 14, 2025. (Photo by Gregg Newton / AFP) (Photo by GREGG NEWTON/AFP via Getty Images) More
Gregg Newton/AFP via Getty Images
"I'm also fascinated by just how many satellites are orbiting the Earth at any given moment. There's so much to share with you all!"
Ayers travelled to the ISS aboard a SpaceX flight in March 2025, as part of the stations' 72 and 73rd expeditions. She is scheduled to return in July this year, after spending six months aboard the ISS.
Ayers is a pilot, and previously flew F-22s in the U.S. Air Force before swapping out jets for rockets, after being selected for NASA Astronaut Group 23 in 2021. Her current mission was her first time piloting a NASA flight.
The northern lights over Vancouver Island and western Canada, January 2012.
The northern lights over Vancouver Island and western Canada, January 2012.
Getty Images
What Are Northern Lights?
Aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, are created when the sun releases solar wind into space. When the winds reach Earth, they collide with the atmosphere.
As the solar particles descend into the upper atmosphere, they mix with oxygen and nitrogen molecules in our air. These collisions emit the light that is visible during the northern lights. Oxygen typically produces green and red hues, while nitrogen yields purples and blues.
What People Are Saying
Ayers said in another social media post: "We see beauty, while scientists see data. As I continue taking pictures of our beautiful Earth, I'm constantly thinking about how these pictures could help researchers and scientists get the information they need.
"This weekend, I was taking pictures of city lights over Italy, and we went right over Mt. Etna. I knew immediately where we were because of the void of lights where the volcano sits. It's an active volcano that is currently erupting."
What Happens Next
Ayers is set to travel back to Earth in July.
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