Washington: NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and British astronaut Tim Peake shared a series of aurora pictures captured aboard the International Space Station on January 20, 2016.
The astronauts uploaded the stunning aurora pictures on their Twitter accounts.
Kelly wrote:
#goodmorning #aurora and the Pacific Northwest! #YearInSpace pic.twitter.com/rOnKK9zurL
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) January 20, 2016
Peake followed up with:
Getting a photo masterclass from @StationCDRKelly – magical #aurora https://t.co/wJ10pOERR2 pic.twitter.com/Tzf1PbvKja
— Tim Peake (@astro_timpeake) January 20, 2016
The dancing lights of the aurora provide spectacular views on the ground, but also capture the imagination of scientists who study incoming energy and particles from the sun. Aurora are one effect of such energetic particles, which can speed out from the sun both in a steady stream called the solar wind and due to giant eruptions known as coronal mass ejections or CMEs.
Recently, Major Tim Peake created history by becoming the first Briton to walk in space when he undertook a tricky mission to replace an electrical unit while under cover of darkness.
(Source: NASA)