Results for: Earth's Atmosphere

Auroras, also known as northern and southern lights, are natural phenomena that occur when charged particles from the sun interact with Earth’s atmosphere, creating vibrant colors visible to the naked eye. While these celestial spectacles are captivating from the ground, they take on a whole new level of majesty when viewed from space. This collection of 32 breathtaking photographs taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station and space shuttles showcases the awe-inspiring beauty and immense scale of auroras, offering a unique perspective on this extraordinary natural phenomenon.

The sun released its strongest flare in nearly two decades, but fortunately, Earth avoided the brunt of its impact. The X8.7 flare erupted from a region of the sun rotating away from our planet, mitigating potential effects on Earth’s power and communications systems. While a coronal plasma ejection occurred along with the flare, it also appeared to be heading away from Earth.