NASA astronaut Jessica Meir has captured a breathtaking appearance of the Aurora Australis from space, with the resulting footage quickly spreading around the world. Meir filmed the phenomenon from aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, offering a rare and remarkably clear view of a natural spectacle that is seldom documented with such detail.
“A lot is going on at the space station right now,” the NASA astronaut wrote, adding that fortunately everyone on board was doing well, and that the crew had the previous day enjoyed a spectacular aurora australis display triggered by a recent solar event.
The Aurora Australis occurs just as frequently as its northern counterpart, the Aurora Borealis, but appears primarily over Antarctica. Since very few people live near the South Pole, the phenomenon remains relatively little known and is rarely observed or photographed from Earth.
The footage Meir captured through the Dragon’s windows shows intense luminous activity in the atmosphere, the result of a recent solar flare. The aurora appears to “dance” above the frozen Antarctic continent, creating a one-of-a-kind spectacle that has captivated both scientists and the general public worldwide.
