Earthsky FAQs
Do astronauts see the aurora from space?
When they maintain an orbit relatively close to Earth, astronauts have a ringside seat for viewing the spectacular northern and southern lights, also known as the aurora.
07-13-2009 - Space
The aurora is a vast curtain of glowing gases usually seen near Earth’s north and south polar regions. These gases glow because they’re electrified by the solar wind high-energy particles from the sun caught in Earth’s magnetic field.
The aurora is generated high in the atmosphere, so astronauts orbiting near the poles can actually fly right through the aurora much as you’d fly through clouds in an airplane. Some astronauts describe this experience as what it would be like to shrink down and explore the inside of a tube in a neon sign.
From orbit, the northern and southern lights take on a three-dimensional look. Astronauts can see lines of magnetism light up like huge glowing blades of emerald grass, as shafts of light extend upward to the heavens.
Don Pettit has a web page featuring breathtaking pictures of the aurora taken from cameras aboard the International Space Station. It’s called Auroras Dancing in the Night.
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