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Updated · NASA · May 8Chris Williams captures Milky Way above Earth’s airglow from ISS
4 articles · Updated · NASA · May 8
- The NASA astronaut took the image on 13 April 2026 from a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station.
- Airglow occurs when sunlight-excited or ionised atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere emit photons as they release excess energy.
- NASA said the phenomenon resembles auroras, but is driven by routine solar radiation rather than high-energy particles from the solar wind.
Our planet constantly glows. What can this 'airglow' reveal about the invisible waves and tides high in our atmosphere? Earth's natural glow blinds sensitive instruments. How is AI helping scientists see faint auroras through this atmospheric veil? If Earth has a constant glow, could we spot a similar light on exoplanets, hinting at an atmosphere that could support life?