You've Never Seen the Northern Lights Like This—Astronauts Share Incredible View From Space
Experiencing the northern lights is on many travelers' bucket lists. But a NASA astronaut recently scored the ultimate encounter when she captured a unique view of the natural phenomenon from the International Space Station (ISS).
On May 23, Nichole Ayers shared a video showing the aurora borealis spanning the Earth's poles. "The Aurora showed up this last weekend when I wasn't expecting it!" she wrote on X. "I was trying to capture the massive storms that went through both North and South America and got a nice surprise." Ayers headed to the ISS from Florida in March as part of NASA's Crew-10 mission with SpaceX.
The northern lights are created when charged particles from the sun interact with gas molecules like oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth's atmosphere. These collisions create vibrant colors known as the northern lights. Ayers said the lights appeared around sunset over the northern U.S. and Canada.
In April, Ayers shared a spectacular time-lapse video of her view from ISS. "Tried my hand at a few aurora time-lapses, and they aren't too bad! Working on exposures still but happy with the first attempt," she wrote on X. "We have the most amazing view, and I hope to share it with you!
For those of us on Earth, you might have a chance to see the northern lights tonight and tomorrow. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), they will be most visible across Canada and Alaska, with a lower likelihood forecast for parts of northeastern Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, northern Minnesota, Upper Michigan, and northern Wisconsin. Areas in Wyoming, South Dakota, northern Iowa, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine may also get a glimpse of the phenomenon.
The agency says that the best time to view the northern lights is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, adding that the best aurora is usually within an hour or two of midnight.
Read the original article on Martha Stewart
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Indian pilot set for a historic space journey on Axiom-4
The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), set to take off from Nasa's Kennedy Space Center in Florida next week, will be piloted by an Indian as it soars towards the International Space Station (ISS). Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian air force is among the four-member multi-country crew of Ax-4 that will be spending two weeks on the ISS. The flight, scheduled for 10 June at 08:22 EDT (12:22GMT; 17:52IST), has generated a huge interest in India as Group Captain Shukla will only be the second Indian ever to travel to space and the first to visit the ISS. The trip comes 41 years after cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to fly to space aboard a Russian Soyuz in 1984. He spent nearly eight days there. Ax-4 is led by former Nasa astronaut Peggy Whitson - a space veteran who has been commander of ISS twice, spent hundreds of days in space and done 10 space walks. The team also includes Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary - just like the Indian astronaut, they will also be taking their countries back to space after more than four decades. Experts say the pilot's role is key, as he would serve as second-in-command to the mission commander, assisting with spacecraft operations during launch, docking, undocking and return to Earth. The astronauts, who have been in quarantine since 25 May to prepare for the trip, addressed a press conference on Tuesday night where they showed-off Joy - a small, white toy swan they said would be "the fifth crew member" on Ax-4. "We are good for the launch, we have completed all the training and the team has bonded well," Commander Whitson said. Describing the past year as "nothing short of transformative" for him, Group Captain Shukla said he did not have words to describe his excitement. "It has been an amazing journey so far, but the best is yet to come," he said. "As I go into space, I carry not just instruments and equipment, I carry hopes and dreams of a billion hearts. "I request all Indians to pray for the success of our mission," he added. The 39-year-old was among four Indian air force officers shortlisted last year to travel on the country's first-ever human space flight, scheduled for 2027. The Gaganyaan mission aims to send three astronauts to an orbit of 400km and bring them back after three days. India has also announced ambitious plans to set up a space station by 2035 and send an astronaut to the Moon by 2040. India's space agency Isro has been carrying out a number of tests to prepare for Gaganyaan. In December, it plans to send a female humanoid robot to space as part of the tests. So, officials say the weekend's mission comes as a "unique exciting opportunity" for Isro and has generated a lot of interest in India. The trip to ISS aboard Ax-4 - a commercial flight operated by Houston-based private company Axiom Space - is a collaborative effort between Nasa, Isro and European Space Agency (Esa). Sunday's flight will be launched using the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket. Isro, which has paid 5bn rupees ($59m; £43m) to secure a seat for Group Captain Shukla and his training, says the experience he will gain during his trip to the ISS will help India immensely. "The benefit we will get from this mission is phenomenal in terms of the training, exposure to the facilities and the experience of jointly conducting experiments in space," Isro Chairman V Narayanan recently said. Sudeesh Balan, Isro project director, said Group Captain Shukla had been training since August last year. "He's undergone rigorous training, including physical and psychological assessments, to prepare for the journey." Born on 10 October 1985 in the northern city of Lucknow, Group Captain Shukla joined the Indian air force as a fighter pilot in 2006. According to Axiom Space, he has over 2,000 hours of flying experience and has flown MiGs, Sukhois, Dorniers, Jaguars and Hawks. His sister Shuchi Mishra, however, told the BBC that his entry into the air force was "accidental". "When he was 17 and in high school, his friend got a form to apply to the National Defence Academy. But this friend was slightly overage so he was not qualified. Not wanting to waste the form, Shubhanshu filled it up," Ms Mishra said. "He was selected - and has never looked back." Ms Mishra says their family "is thrilled as one of ours has been chosen out of India's 1.4 billion people" for this mission. "We all feel so privileged and proud that he's a part of our family and that we've been a part of his journey." Her brother, she says, is undertaking this journey for his country - for the next generation. "He always tells people to dream big, to do something for the nation. We are hoping that his trip will inspire the next generation." Besides piloting the mission, the Indian astronaut will have a busy schedule during his time on ISS. Considering the huge interest in the flight, Isro has said they are organising events for him to interact with Indian students and answer their questions while floating in space. "We believe it will motivate our young minds to become passionate about space tech," Mr Balan said. But most of the time, the four-member crew will be conducting 60 scientific experiments, seven of which come from India. Former Nasa scientist Mila Mitra says Isro's experiments will help improve our understanding of space and its effects on biology and micro-gravity. One of the key experiments, she explains, will investigate the impact of spaceflight on six varieties of crop seeds. "This project aims to help understand how crops may be grown in space for future exploration missions. After the mission, seeds will be grown for multiple generations and plants showing preferred traits will be selected for genetic analyses." Another Isro experiment involves growing three strains of microalgae which could be used as food, fuel or even in life support systems and this will help identify the most suitable ones for growing in microgravity, she says. The Isro projects would also investigate how tardigrades - micro-animals on Earth that can survive extreme environments - would fare in space. "The project will examine the revival of dormant tardigrades, count the number of eggs laid and hatched during a mission, and compare space-flown versus ground control populations," Ms Mitra says. The other experiments aim to identify how muscle loss occurs in space and how it can be treated; and the physical and cognitive impact of using computer screens in microgravity. "The research will study how gaze fixation and rapid eye movements are affected by being in space, and how this may affect an astronaut's stress and wellbeing. The results could influence future spacecraft computer design and interaction," she says. Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, X and Facebook.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Photos! See All 11 Acts Performing on Night Two of ‘America's Got Talent' 2025
Photos! See All 11 Acts Performing on Night Two of 'America's Got Talent' 2025 originally appeared on Parade. America's Got Talent continued auditions for its landmark 20th season of the hit competition series with a new judges panel consisting of executive producer Simon Cowell, fan-favorite comedian Howie Mandel acclaimed actress Sofia Vergara, and singer/songwriter Mel B reclaiming her seat at the judges table after a six-year absence. Tonight's episode features a dynamic kids dance crew, a rock band, standout singers, scary clown magicians and a nail-biting Golden Buzzer moment. Each artist hopes their two minutes in front of the judges will change their lives. 🎬 🎬 Eleven acts will take the stage tonight with their eyes set on winning the $1 million prize. See their photos and more in the gallery below. View the 13 images of this gallery on the original article Alex Zinger & Crew – Alex is a return dancer who didn't make it through last season. Amanda Badertscher – A physical education teacher from Dallas, GA with a novelty act. Austin Brown – A singer from Tifton, GA. Citilimitz – A band of singing brothers from Chattanooga, TN. Cole Swensen – A 23-year-old musician. Girish and the Chronicles – A rock band from India. Related: Kid Clippers – A children's dance troupe sponsored by the L.A. Clippers. Messoudi Brothers – Two of the three Messoudi Brothers are back but this time as a knife-throwing danger act. Phobias – A scary clown magician act. Tani – A drone act from Japan. TT Boys – an acrobatic danger act from Ethiopia. America's Got Talent airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Streams next day on See All 11 Acts Performing on Night Two of 'America's Got Talent' 2025 first appeared on Parade on Jun 3, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
What does lightning look like from space? See stunning photos from astronauts on ISS
It's safe to say that most of us have seen lightning here on Earth plenty of times – some of us have even been struck by it. But the natural phenomenon is one all but a few select individuals will ever have the chance to see from the vantage of 250 miles in orbit. Fortunately, a few astronauts over the years have been more than willing to generously share a glimpse of crashing lightning as seen from outer space. And you better believe it looks nothing like what we're used to seeing from the ground. The latest images of sky-splitting lightning came courtesy of two NASA astronauts who reached the International Space Station together in March after launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral, Florida. In May, Nichole Ayers and Anne McClain posted photos on social media site X of lightning roiling far, far beneath them. "This is what lightning looks like from the top down," McClain said in a post shared May 21. Here's a closer look at just what they managed to capture from above Earth's atmosphere. The images McClain and Ayers shared show electrostatic discharges – in other words, lightning – from above the clouds as they orbited in the International Space Station. In Ayers' post on X, she said she first observed lightning May 1 while suited up for a spacewalk outside the orbital outpost. She then managed to capture a few photos the next day, which she shared May 5. "I am so amazed by the view we have up here of our Earth's weather systems," Ayers posted. While it was unclear what part of Earth the lightning was striking in Ayers' photos, McClain said her images were captured over Alabama and Georgia. "Fast and furious, but also an incredible sight!" McClain said. The photos not only reveal the chaotic beauty of lightning, but could provide valuable orbital data to scientists studying the phenomenon back on Earth. Here's a look at some of the astronauts' photos: The photos were captured at speeds of 120 frames per second, with the depicted flashes only taking up one frame. The technique was pioneered by veteran NASA astronaut Don Pettit, who is renowned for his astral photography. Pettit, who had arrived in September 2024 for his third and most recent space station stint, departed April 19, 2025, with two cosmonauts before safely landing in Kazakhstan on his 70th birthday. Ayers and McClain, who also recently made headlines for completing a rare all-female spacewalk, are among seven people living at the International Space Station. The crew of Expedition 73 includes three Americans, three Russian cosmonauts and one Japanese spacefarer from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa.) McClain and Ayers are both part of a SpaceX mission known as Crew-10 that reached the space station in March 2025. Their arrival with JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov paved the way for the NASA astronauts who crewed the doomed Boeing Starliner to depart with the Crew-9 mission. Also at the station is NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, who reached the outpost in April 2025 with cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Lightning from space: Astronauts post stunning weather images on X
