NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli amazed with new photos of the aurora taken from the International Space Station. The green aurora stretches from the southern regions of the Earth far beyond the horizon of the planet.
“The auroras from up here are spectacular,” Moghbeli shared in an interview. On February 15, she witnessed the highlights of her space mission, observing some green, some red auroras that had just swept over the surface of the Earth.
This aurora occurs when the Sun sends energetic particles into the upper layers of the Earth’s atmosphere. The planet’s magnetic field directs these particles to the poles, where they interact with the upper layers of the atmosphere, creating a light phenomenon.
Sometimes I can’t believe this is our planet, OUR home. How lucky we are to live somewhere so spectacular and alive. I will definitely miss these views, but I look forward to exploring more of our planet and the beautiful views from the ground. #AuroraAustralis pic.twitter.com/2lbIUJFfKr
— Jasmin Moghbeli (@AstroJaws) February 15, 2024
On board the ISS, astronauts are now observing a particularly impressive aurora due to the approach of the Sun to the 11-year maximum of solar activity. An increase in solar flares and coronal mass ejections leads to increased polar activity on Earth.
Moghbeli shares her love for this phenomenon: “I love it, because every time I look out the window, I’m in awe. Every time, it’s a little different. Whether the lights are different, or the clouds or the seasons or the sun angles, every single time I’m amazed at how alive and beautiful our planet is.”
Earlier, we reported on how the Earth’s atmosphere shone with an unusual golden glow.
According to Space
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