It's like someone spilled ectoplasm all over Earth.
Auroras are magical no matter whether you see them from the ground or from orbit up on the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Bob Hines needed all-caps and three exclamation points for a tweet full of knockout aurora images. "Absolutely SPECTACULAR aurora today!!!" he wrote on Wednesday.
Absolutely SPECTACULAR aurora today!!! Thankful for the recent solar activity resulting in these wonderful sights! pic.twitter.com/aOD45XSWaX
— Bob “Farmer” Hines (@Astro_FarmerBob) August 18, 2022
The four views show vivid green swirls of light clinging to Earth's curve. "Thankful for the recent solar activity resulting in these wonderful sights," Hines added.
One of the images shows the aurora in the distance with city lights and clouds down below. The photo is notable for a series of light streaks that appear against the darkness of space. Hines explained in a follow-up tweet that those streaks are actually reflections off the station's solar arrays.
Look closely for the streaks of light against the darkness of space in this aurora photo. Those are reflections from the ISS solar arrays.
The sun has been feeling peppy lately, sending out eruptions of charged particles that can trigger eye-popping aurora events on Earth. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shared a sun view from Aug. 15 and 16 showing several eruptions that were likely to have triggered light shows this week.
NEW: The Solar Ultraviolet Imager (#SUVI) on @NOAA's #GOES16🛰️ captured several eruptions from the Sun on August 15 and 16, 2022. Get the latest from NOAA @NWSSWPC. https://t.co/moYyW3wrHA pic.twitter.com/SkLRVBpYa6
— NOAA Satellites - Public Affairs (@NOAASatellitePA) August 16, 2022
The sun's outbursts can also potentially cause disruptions to spacecraft and communications, so it's not all roses and auroras when our neighborhood star throws a fit. For humans on Earth and on the ISS, there could be a lot more auroras coming down the line. Our current solar cycle is looking like it's going to be an active one. Talk about a glow up.