NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir Captures Timelapse of Aurora Australis from SpaceX Dragon
Jessica Meir posted footage of the Southern Lights captured from orbit after recent solar activity. The video shows the aurora dancing beneath the spacecraft.
app.buzzsumo.comNASA astronaut Jessica Meir posted timelapse footage of the aurora australis filmed from aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. She shared the video on social media on Sunday. The footage shows the luminous display moving directly below the orbiting vessel.
Meir wrote that this aurora differed from previous sightings she had made in space. "As opposed to the previous aurora I've seen, this one danced and snaked its way directly below us, putting on quite a show," Meir stated. " GB News reported that the display followed recent solar activity.
Charged particles from the Sun are funnelled toward Earth's polar regions by magnetic forces, where they strike the upper atmosphere and generate the shimmering curtains of colour. The aurora australis occurs with equal frequency to the aurora borealis. It regularly illuminates skies above Antarctica, though the continent's remoteness means few people witness it firsthand.
Both the southern and northern lights share identical origins in the physics of Earth's magnetic field. GB News reported that the recent solar event that triggered Meir's footage demonstrates how space weather influences these light shows. Social media viewers responded to the post.
One commenter said they struggled to understand how the aurora appeared solely beneath the spacecraft rather than surrounding it. Another viewer said they had only just discovered the existence of the Southern Lights. A third praised the ethereal quality of the imagery and wished Meir safe travels.
