Watch: NASA Astronaut Captures Mesmerising Northern Lights From Space
Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed.
NASA astronaut Anne McClain shared a video of the aurora borealis from the SpaceX Dragon.
The auroras displayed vibrant green, purple, and red colors following a geomagnetic storm.
The phenomenon resulted from a coronal mass ejection from the Sun impacting Earth's magnetic field.
One of the most breathtaking sights in the night sky is the aurora borealis, commonly known as the "northern lights." Many people wait years, or even a lifetime, for the chance to witness this unforgettable phenomenon. That's likely why videos and photos capturing the glowing green lights continue to fascinate viewers. Now, a NASA astronaut aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft has shared a stunning video of the aurora as seen from space, following a powerful geomagnetic storm.
NASA astronaut Anne McClain took to X to share the green, purple and red hues of the northern lights dancing across the surface of the Earth. Furthermore, the Earth's curvature can also be seen where the auroras in the atmosphere meet the darkness of space.
"Auroras from space always draw crewmembers to the Cupola. I love how this one illuminated our Dragon, and I also love the dance of satellites on the left in the latter part of the video. It's interesting how the aurora creeps along the top of the atmosphere as it comes up over the horizon. I have added traveling to see auroras from Earth to my bucket list!" Ms McClain wrote in the caption of he post.
Take a look below:
Auroras from space always draw crewmembers to the Cupola. I love how this one illuminated our Dragon, and I also love the dance of satellites on the left in the latter part of the video. It's interesting how the aurora creeps along the top of the atmosphere as it comes up over… pic.twitter.com/4FGu5n0LpN
— COL Anne McClain (@AstroAnnimal) June 2, 2025
According to Space.com, the celestial fireworks display followed a solar flare that erupted from the Sun on Friday. This sparked a coronal mass ejection (CME) - a burst of solar material - that slammed into Earth's magnetic field early the next day, causing stunning auroras as far south as California and New Mexico.
According to the latest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecast, aurora is likely to be more active in the coming nights because of "minor" geomagnetic storms.
Meanwhile, Ms McClain's video on X has gone viral, garnering more than 360,000 views and hundreds of likes.
"The beauty of auroras from space is truly captivating. It's fascinating to see how they interact with the atmosphere and even our spacecraft. Thank you for sharing this incredible view," commented one user.
"Magnificent. Such beauty. Mother Earth is the Ultimate Artist. Thank you for posting this gorgeous phenomenon," expressed another.
"Truly mesmerizing Thanks for sharing this breathtaking view," wrote a third user. "Your videos should be compiled and released as a big-screen, full-length movie sometime. That would be a great experience for people," said another.
"Stunning aurora, Anne! It glows on the Dragon, dances with satellites, and creeps along the atmosphere. Great bucket list pick!" one user commented.
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