Jessica Meir Films Aurora Australis From ISS as 11-Year Solar Cycle Boosts Displays
Updated
Updated · Nautilus · Jun 22
Jessica Meir Films Aurora Australis From ISS as 11-Year Solar Cycle Boosts Displays
3 articles · Updated · Nautilus · Jun 22
Summary
NASA astronaut Jessica Meir posted a time-lapse from the ISS showing the aurora australis rippling through Earth’s magnetosphere above the Indian Ocean.
The display followed a recent solar event during the current solar maximum, the intense phase of the sun’s roughly 11-year cycle that brings more sunspots, flares and charged particles.
Meir said this aurora “danced and snaked” directly below the spacecraft, making it more striking than previous displays she had seen from orbit.
Solar maximum peaked in October 2024, and the heightened activity can push aurora sightings beyond polar regions toward middle latitudes, where NOAA forecasts can help skywatchers track visibility.