Cosmonaut bSergey Kud‑Sverchkov/b recorded a vivid auroral display while aboard a spacecraft orbiting Earth during an unusually strong solar storm, the most intense event of its kind in over two decades. The footage, captured in real time, shows the familiar green and purple curtains of light extending across the planet’s polar regions, illuminated by charged particles from the Sun. The recording provides an undistorted view of the aurora from an orbital perspective, adding a new dimension to the study of solar–terrestrial interactions. _2_ The imagery, processed by the mission’s imaging team, matches data from ground‑based magnetic observatories, confirming the solar wind’s pressure spike and the associated ionospheric response. Detailed analysis of the auroral shape and intensity will aid researchers in refining models of magnetospheric dynamics. The applicability of such high‑resolution visual records lies in improving real‑time space weather forecasting, which is critical for satellite operations and power grid management. _3_ This event underscores the importance of continued investment in orbital observation platforms, as they provide unique diagnostics of the Sun–Earth system that ground‑based instruments cannot supply alone. The data derived from Sergey’s footage will inform future missions aimed at mitigating the impacts of severe solar storms on humanity’s technological infrastructure.
Solar Storm Lights Fill Orbital Lens as Cosmonaut Sees Earth in Auroral Glows