NASA Astronaut Captures Aurora Australis from Space
NASA astronaut Jessica Meir, a member of the SpaceX Crew-12 mission, shared a timelapse video showcasing the southern lights as observed from the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The aurora australis appears near Earth's poles because the planet's magnetic field directs charged particles from the sun toward these regions. When these particles collide with the atmosphere, they produce shimmering curtains of color.
Meir described the experience on social media, emphasizing the unique movement of this aurora compared to previous sightings.
"As opposed to the previous aurora I’ve seen, this one danced and snaked its way directly below us, putting on quite a show. I am in awe of this ethereal and emotionally evocative phenomenon," Meir wrote.
