NASA Astronaut Films Northern Lights from space

Astronaut Zena Cardman has given the world a spectacular view of the Earth’s atmosphere, and it’s like nothing most of us have ever seen before. On 17 November 2025, aboard the International Space Station, she filmed dazzling curtains of light, the Aurora Borealis, dancing across the sky below. 
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The video reveals a vivid glow of green, purple, and red streaks stretching across the horizon as the ISS glides thousands of kilometers above the planet. In parts of the clip, city lights of major U.S. cities, including what appears to be Houston, Texas, and Florida, United States, shine faintly beneath the shimmering auroras.

Cardman, who currently serves as commander of SpaceX Crew-11, described the moment simply — “I’ve still never seen aurora from below, but up here, it’s a frequent show.” She added that this recent display was “especially good.”

But the video shows more than just the Northern Lights. As the ISS travelled further south, the clip captures flashes of lightning storms over South America, with sunrise gently lighting up the horizon, a dramatic blend of natural phenomena seen from orbit. 

This stunning display comes as the Sun reaches a peak in its natural 11-year activity cycle, often called the “solar maximum.” During periods like this, interactions between charged solar particles and Earth’s magnetic field intensify, making auroras more frequent and visible, even from space. 

For many on Earth, seeing the Northern Lights means traveling somewhere near the polar regions. But thanks to Cardman’s footage, we’re reminded that from the vantage point of the ISS, the aurora is a global phenomenon, one that can stretch across continents and light up the night sky in ways that feel almost magical.