NASA Astronaut Shares Stunning Aurora Footage from ISS

BEND, Oregon — NASA astronaut Don Pettit shared breathtaking footage of auroras captured from the International Space Station (ISS) on April 8, 2025. The videos depict vibrant green lights dancing across the Earth’s atmosphere as the ISS orbited above the Southern Ocean.

Pettit, who is currently serving as a flight engineer on his fourth mission aboard the ISS, posted the videos on social media platform X, where he frequently shares his off-Earth photography and science experiments. The first video showcases the Aurora Australis, famously known as the southern lights, appearing dramatically against the dark canvas of space.

In another clip, Pettit highlights what he calls “green vaporous turbulence” above an unidentified area of the Earth. “Changes in attitude, changes in latitude,” Pettit wrote in his post, explaining how the ISS rotated 180 degrees to dock with a Soyuz spacecraft. During this maneuver, he was able to capture the exceptional aurora display.

Pettit arrived at the ISS alongside Russian cosmonauts Aleksey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner on September 11, 2024. The trio is expected to return to Earth later this month, concluding a six-month mission focused on scientific research and maintenance of the space station.

Known for his stunning visual narratives from space, Pettit previously captured remarkable footage of various phenomena, including a depiction of the Earth featuring food coloring suspended in a small sphere of water. “Science is all about experimenting and sharing knowledge,” he noted, emphasizing his commitment to public outreach.

This mission continues Pettit’s legacy of sharing awe-inspiring views and educational content from his time in orbit. His captivating videos of Earth’s natural beauty remind viewers of the planet’s splendor and the importance of scientific exploration.