Astronaut Captures ‘Vivid Green’ Aurora From the International Space Station

A breathtaking video captured from the International Space Station reveals an aurora from above, shimmering with the distinctive green light that has fascinated humanity for centuries.

On January 6, NASA astronaut Don Pettit shared this extraordinary footage from his vantage point in orbit, showcasing the “intensely green” ribbons of light rarely observed from such a unique perspective.

This dazzling phenomenon is tied to our Sun’s recent period of heightened activity. Over the past weeks, the Sun has unleashed a series of massive eruptions, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections. These coronal mass ejections—gigantic bursts of plasma that take hours or days to travel through the Solar System—are responsible for the mesmerizing auroras visible in Earth’s skies.

How Solar Eruptions Create Spectacular Auroras

As charged particles from these solar eruptions hurtle through space, they collide with Earth’s magnetic field, which channels them toward the planet’s poles. Upon reaching the upper atmosphere, these particles interact with atmospheric gases, igniting vibrant displays of green, pink, and blue light. These radiant ribbons trace the magnetic field lines that guide solar winds toward Earth’s polar regions, creating an otherworldly spectacle.

During the 19th century, these vivid colors puzzled scientists, who sought to explain the lights they saw in the sky and in electrified gas tubes in laboratories. Early hypotheses suggested that the green light came from hydrogen or a mysterious solar element dubbed “aurorium.” Oxygen later emerged as a likely source, though its failure to glow green under laboratory conditions posed a significant challenge for decades.

Unlike many elements, which emit light almost instantly after excitation, atomic oxygen takes nearly a full second to “relax,” owing to the unconventional behavior of its electrons. This delay allows the surrounding environment to absorb its energy, often preventing it from emitting green light.

The Altitude-Driven Colors of Oxygen in Auroras

However, at around 100 kilometers (60 miles) above Earth’s surface, oxygen finds enough space to emit its signature “brilliant green line.” At higher altitudes, up to 300 kilometers, where atmospheric pressure drops even further, oxygen has ample time to release its energy and produces a deep red glow.

This phenomenon has been documented from space before. In 2021, ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet captured a similar awe-inspiring view, followed by equally stunning imagery in 2023 from NASA astronaut Josh Cassada and JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata.

As we approach the next solar maximum, armed with ever-advancing satellite and camera technology, we can expect more breathtaking views of auroras, revealing the beauty of these celestial light shows in ways previously unimaginable.

Read Original Article: Science Alert

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