Last Day In Space, Astronauts Presented With The Most Spectacular Aurora

The sun has been showing a lot of activity lately for a new period after years of quite calm. (photo: Twitter @thom_astro)

JAKARTA - Before the astronauts left the International Space Station (ISS) last weekend, they were presented with the most spectacular aurora sightings. This explosion comes from material from the Sun that reaches the planet Earth.

The sun has been showing a lot of activity lately for a new period after years of quite calm. The activity spewed impressive material that reached Earth and set off a stunning auroral action.

We were treated to the strongest auroras of the entire mission, over north America and Canada. Amazing spikes higher than our orbit🤩, and we flew right above the center of the ring, rapid waves and pulses all over. #MissionAlpha https://t.co/5rdb08ljhx pic.twitter.com/0liCkGvRCh

— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) November 6, 2021

These sparkling colorful light waves were captured by astronauts including astronaut from the European Space Agency (ESA), Thomas Pesquet from the ISS. The new image shows just how beautiful this aurora is. It appears to be a green ring with flakes of light emanating from the curvature of the planet.

"We were treated to the strongest aurora of the entire mission, in North America and Canada. It's amazingly higher than our orbit. It hits a star, and we fly right over the center of the ring, waves and pulses are fast everywhere," Pesquet said while uploading photo of the aurora on his Twitter.

At that time, Pesquet was in the final days of his orbital mission and he made the most of it to enjoy the view from space.

Quoting Space, Tuesday, November 9, auroras occur in Earth's atmosphere when magnetized plasma particles from the Sun crash into Earth's magnetic field, creating temporary magnetic chaos around the planet.

Despite its stunning appearance, magnetic storms can damage satellites and cripple the power grid. The worst geomagnetic storm in recorded history, called the Carrington Event of 1859, paralyzed telegraph networks throughout Europe and North America.

For Pesquet and his Crew-2 colleagues, NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, and Japan's Akihiko Hoshide, the new aurora provided unforgettable memories for their six-month orbital adventure. Crew-2 is scheduled to return to Earth today.