Canada's Aurora Borealis from Earth and Space
On February 4, 2012, the crew of the International Space Station (ISS) captured a sensational display of the aurora borealis that stretched from coast to coast. The same vibrant auroras were recorded from the AuroraMAX Observatory and roving cameras near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, thereby marking AuroraMAX's first successful observations of Canada's Northern Lights from Earth and the ISS!
(Image and video credit: CSA/University of Calgary/Astronomy North. Credit for ISS video: NASA/CSA/University of Calgary/Astronomy North).
Aurora borealis from Earth and Space
On the night of February 6-7, 2012, astronauts on board the International Space Station photographed auroras over northern Canada while the station passed south of Hudson's Bay – 0:09-0:15 a.m. (EST) or 10:09-10:15 p.m. (MST). The same auroras were captured by the AuroraMAX online observatory in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. AuroraMAX's roving cameras also captured additional photos and a video of the same auroral display.
(Credit: NASA/CSA/University of Calgary/Astronomy North).
Compare the Aurora Borealis from Earth and Space
Aurora watchers on Earth (and in space!) were treated to stunning displays of the Northern Lights in early February when a series of solar flares followed by coronal mass ejections (huge bursts of solar wind), were directed towards Earth. The impact of the coronal mass ejections on Earth’s magnetic field resulted in the spectacular display of the Northern Lights in this imagery collection. The crew of the International Space Station (ISS) captured a series of still photos of the aurora over Northern Canada on February 10, 2012, while the AuroraMAX observatory in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, photographed the same auroras from the ground.
Select a location on the map see how the same auroras looked as seen from the AuroraMAX observatory or from the point of view of the International Space Station.
(ISS video credit: NASA/CSA; All other imagery: CSA/University of Calgary/Astronomy North).
