Latest news with #Astro_Ayers
India Today
04-07-2025
- Science
- India Today
Astronaut captures stunning pillar of light bolting into Earth from space
A breathtaking image taken from the International Space Station is giving scientists and skywatchers a rare look at one of Earth's most elusive weather phenomena: a sprite lightning photo, snapped as the station passed over Mexico and the United States early this morning, shows a brilliant red flash—known as a sprite—illuminating the upper atmosphere above a thunderstorm.'Just. Wow. As we went over Mexico and the U.S. this morning, I caught this sprite,' astronaut Nichole 'Vapor' Ayers wrote, sharing the picture on social media. The sprite is seen over Mexico and the US. (Photo: X/@Astro_Ayers) advertisement Sprites are a type of Transient Luminous Event (TLE), mysterious flashes of light that occur high above thunderstorm clouds. Unlike ordinary lightning, which strikes between clouds or from cloud to ground, sprites erupt in the thin air of the mesosphere, often appearing as red, jellyfish-shaped bursts or are triggered by intense electrical activity in the thunderstorms far their unique vantage point in orbit, astronauts have a clear, unobstructed view of these fleeting events—something rarely possible from the ground, where clouds and weather often block the photo is already generating excitement among atmospheric researchers. Sprites remain one of the least understood types of lightning, and images like this help scientists study how they form and what role they play in Earth's upper Wow. As we went over Mexico and the U.S. this morning, I caught this are TLEs or Transient Luminous Events, that happen above the clouds and are triggered by intense electrical activity in the thunderstorms below. We have a great view above the clouds, so Nichole 'Vapor' Ayers (@Astro_Ayers) July 3, 2025A similar event was seen a few years back over the Himalayas as amateur photographers captured the stunning event over the Tibetan Plateau. A research paper published recently detailed the found that these sprites were caused by powerful lightning strikes that hit the ground from the top of strikes came from a huge thunderstorm system, called a mesoscale convective complex, which covered over 2,00,000 square kilometres from the Ganges Plain to the Tibetan space-based observations become more common, experts hope that more images like this will shed light on the secrets of Earth's most dramatic weather events, reminding us that even from space, our planet never ceases to amaze.- Ends
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
NASA astronaut captures rare Northern Lights aurora display over North America from the International Space Station
Source: X A recent celestial display left both Earthbound viewers and astronauts aboard the International Space Station in awe, as the Northern Lights lit up the skies over parts of the United States and Canada according to the ET reports. Captured by NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers , the aurora appeared unexpectedly while she was photographing severe storms on Earth. The stunning green and purple lights were triggered by heightened geomagnetic activity, with the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center reporting a Kp index of 6. This level of intensity not only enhanced visibility from space but also offered a breathtaking natural spectacle across much of the Northern Hemisphere. NASA astronaut captures glimpse of northern lights over North America Ayers subsequently posted the video online, showing colorful green and purple waves of aurorae swooshing through the top part of the atmosphere over much of the northern United States and Canada. "The Aurora appeared this past weekend when I didn't anticipate it!" Ayers posted. "I was attempting to catch the huge storms that moved through both North and South America and had a pleasant surprise." — Astro_Ayers (@Astro_Ayers) by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Tabletă 2 în 1 Ultraportabilă - Reducere Explozivă Azi! LYH Cumpără acum Undo The aurora occurred at local sunset times in the Northern Hemisphere and could be seen both from space and on Earth in parts of the US and Canada. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) said the activity in the aurora was caused by high geomagnetic conditions, with the Kp index, a system for measuring the strength of geomagnetic storms reaching a level 6 out of a maximum of 9. A Kp index at this level tends to produce brighter and more extensive auroral activity, increasing visibility from Earth and low-Earth orbit. Ayers captures Earth's beauty while contributing to science Since her landing on the ISS in March 2025 as a member of NASA's Crew-10 mission aboard SpaceX, Ayers has posted regular time-lapse footage and Earth photography, providing both scientific information and visual magic. One of her earlier posts in April also recorded aurora activity while in orbit, showing how common and large such displays can be under good solar conditions. In a recent blog, Ayers commented on the double nature of her imagery: scientific usefulness and aesthetic beauty. "We see beauty, while scientists see data," she wrote. "These pictures can help researchers get the information they need." Ayers also discussed her filming of geological landforms, such as a flyby of Italy's Mt. Etna volcano, which is currently active. Observing the clear absence of city lights surrounding the active volcano, Ayers explained how she knew the landmark at once. "I knew right away where we were because of the absence of lights where the volcano is." What causes the northern lights Aurora borealis , or northern lights, are a result of the interaction between streams of charged particles that are emitted by the Sun, referred to as solar wind, and Earth's magnetosphere. The particles spiral down magnetic field lines towards the poles and collide with atoms in the upper atmosphere, specifically oxygen and nitrogen. These impacts eject photons, creating the aurora's characteristic glow. Green and red light are emitted by oxygen, while nitrogen adds purples and blues, yielding an active spectrum of color in the sky. Also Read | How big is the universe? Discover what scientists have uncovered beyond Pluto
