- Astronaut Jessica Meir captured a timelapse of the Southern Lights from SpaceX Dragon spacecraft
- The aurora australis appeared as green ribbons dancing directly below the spacecraft in orbit
- Auroras are caused by charged solar particles colliding with Earth's atmospheric gases
A breathtaking display of the Southern Lights, or aurora australis, has been captured from orbit in a stunning timelapse filmed aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The footage was shared by astronaut Jessica Meir, who recorded the dazzling light show while travelling above Earth. The video shows vivid green ribbons of light rippling and twisting across the atmosphere beneath the spacecraft, creating a rare perspective of one of nature's most spectacular phenomena.
Meir described the experience as unlike previous auroras she had witnessed. Instead of appearing on the horizon, the glowing lights seemed to dance directly below the spacecraft, snaking across the planet's upper atmosphere in an ever-changing display.
"A timelapse view from our @SpaceX Dragon of the spectacular southern aurora seen in yesterday's post, a result of a recent solar event. As opposed to the previous aurora I've seen, this one danced and snaked its way directly below us, putting on quite a show. I am in awe of this ethereal and emotionally evocative phenomenon," she wrote on X.
Watch the video here:
While auroras are typically observed from the ground, astronauts aboard spacecraft and the International Space Station occasionally witness them from above, offering a dramatically different perspective. From orbit, the lights appear as vast glowing bands wrapping around Earth's poles rather than distant curtains on the horizon.
What Are the Southern Lights?
The Southern Lights, scientifically known as the aurora australis, are the Southern Hemisphere's counterpart to the more famous Northern Lights, or aurora borealis. Although both phenomena occur with roughly the same frequency, the Southern Lights are less widely known because they are usually visible over remote parts of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, regions with very few permanent residents.
Auroras form when charged particles emitted by the Sun stream toward Earth during periods of solar activity. Earth's magnetic field acts like a giant shield, guiding many of these particles toward the North and South Poles.
As the particles collide with gases in the upper atmosphere, they transfer energy to oxygen and nitrogen molecules. When those excited molecules release the energy, they emit light, producing the shimmering curtains, arcs and waves that characterize auroral displays.
Different atmospheric gases create different colours. Oxygen is responsible for the vibrant green shades most commonly seen in auroras, while higher-altitude oxygen can produce red hues. Nitrogen can generate blue, purple and pink tones.
