- Red auroras are rare and occur 2-3 times during a six-month ISS mission
- Auroras form when charged solar particles collide with Earth’s atmosphere
- Charged particles are directed by Earth’s magnetic field towards the poles
A NASA astronaut has shared a breathtaking video of rare red aurora glowing above the Earth. Aurora is a natural phenomenon that occurs when charged particles from the sun interact with Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere. They are known as the northern lights (Aurora Borealis) or southern lights (Aurora Australis).
Astronaut Don Pettit shared the video on Instagram, which was taken from space, with the caption: "Red auroras of this size and vibrancy are rare, occurring 2-3 times during a six-month mission to the International Space Station."
Watch the video here:
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How are auroras formed
Aurora is formed after the interaction of charged particles (electrons and protons) emitted by the sun with Earth's magnetic field, which directs these particles towards the poles. The particles then collide with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere, exciting them and causing them to emit light.
According to NASA, auroras are formed in an upper layer of Earth's atmosphere called the ionosphere, but they typically originate with activity on the Sun.
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"During explosions called coronal mass ejections, the Sun releases charged particles that speed across the solar system," NASA noted.
Aurora can display a range of colours, including green, red, blue and violet, depending on the energy of the particles and atmospheric conditions. Aurora can appear as diffuse glows, such as rays or curtains of light. It can also move and change shape rapidly.
