NASA astronaut captures rare Northern Lights aurora display over North America from the International Space Station

Time of India

27-05-2025

Source: X
A recent celestial display left both Earthbound viewers and astronauts aboard the International Space Station in awe, as the
Northern Lights
lit up the skies over parts of the United States and Canada according to the ET reports. Captured by
NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers
, the aurora appeared unexpectedly while she was photographing severe storms on Earth. The stunning green and purple lights were triggered by heightened geomagnetic activity, with the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center reporting a
Kp index
of 6. This level of intensity not only enhanced visibility from space but also offered a breathtaking natural spectacle across much of the Northern Hemisphere.
NASA astronaut captures glimpse of northern lights over North America
Ayers subsequently posted the video online, showing colorful green and purple waves of aurorae swooshing through the top part of the atmosphere over much of the northern United States and Canada. "The Aurora appeared this past weekend when I didn't anticipate it!" Ayers posted. "I was attempting to catch the huge storms that moved through both North and South America and had a pleasant surprise."
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The aurora occurred at local sunset times in the Northern Hemisphere and could be seen both from space and on Earth in parts of the US and Canada. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) said the activity in the aurora was caused by high geomagnetic conditions, with the Kp index, a system for measuring the strength of geomagnetic storms reaching a level 6 out of a maximum of 9. A Kp index at this level tends to produce brighter and more extensive auroral activity, increasing visibility from Earth and low-Earth orbit.
Ayers captures Earth's beauty while contributing to science
Since her landing on the ISS in March 2025 as a member of NASA's Crew-10 mission aboard SpaceX, Ayers has posted regular time-lapse footage and Earth photography, providing both scientific information and visual magic. One of her earlier posts in April also recorded aurora activity while in orbit, showing how common and large such displays can be under good solar conditions.
In a recent blog, Ayers commented on the double nature of her imagery: scientific usefulness and aesthetic beauty. "We see beauty, while scientists see data," she wrote. "These pictures can help researchers get the information they need."
Ayers also discussed her filming of geological landforms, such as a flyby of Italy's Mt. Etna volcano, which is currently active. Observing the clear absence of city lights surrounding the active volcano, Ayers explained how she knew the landmark at once. "I knew right away where we were because of the absence of lights where the volcano is."
What causes the northern lights
Aurora borealis
, or northern lights, are a result of the interaction between streams of charged particles that are emitted by the Sun, referred to as solar wind, and Earth's magnetosphere. The particles spiral down magnetic field lines towards the poles and collide with atoms in the upper atmosphere, specifically oxygen and nitrogen.
These impacts eject photons, creating the aurora's characteristic glow. Green and red light are emitted by oxygen, while nitrogen adds purples and blues, yielding an active spectrum of color in the sky.
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