When the sun ejects charged particles from its corona and the solar wind collides with Earth's upper atmosphere, the mesmerizing aurora borealis is born. This natural phenomenon captivates everyone who witnesses its fluorescent dancing lights from Earth. Now, imagine experiencing this breathtaking spectacle 400 kilometers above our planet!
NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick had the extraordinary opportunity to be in space during the peak of auroral activity and captured it in a stunning time-lapse video. The International Space Station (ISS) crew, including Dominick, received a cargo shipment that included new camera lenses, allowing them to document the moon setting into streams of red and green aurora, followed by a sunrise illuminating the Soyuz spacecraft with a light blue hue.
During his time aboard the ISS as commander of the SpaceX Crew-8 mission, Dominick captured images of the spectacular aurora borealis against the backdrop of spacecraft like Boeing's Starliner, SpaceX Crew Dragon, and Russia's Soyuz. Recent solar activity pushed the aurora closer to the ISS, creating a mesmerizing view of the Soyuz spacecraft hanging in a stream of aurora lights.
Photography from space presents unique challenges due to the ISS's high speed of approximately 17,500 mph (28,000 kph). Astronauts must undergo training at the Johnson Space Center in Houston to master the use of cameras in space. The fast movement of the ISS makes timed exposures challenging, as longer exposures blur Earth's features and cause stars to trail instead of appearing as points.
Despite the difficulties, the joy of capturing these images from space is immeasurable. Astronauts like Dominick and others find immense happiness in sharing the beauty of our planet and the universe through their photographs. These images not only bring joy to the astronauts but also inspire people on Earth.
For over two decades, humans have lived and worked aboard the ISS, witnessing the wonders of our universe. Thanks to advancements in technology, we can now experience enchanting glimpses of our planet from space without leaving Earth. The photos taken by Dominick and other astronauts serve as precious reminders of our time aboard the ISS, which is set to retire by disintegrating into the Pacific Ocean around 2030.
