Northern lights timelapse: Watch Aurora filmed by ISS astronaut
The mesmerising video timelapse of the Aurora Borealis was documented by German astronaut Alexander Gerst. The video shows the Northern Light in full glory – swirling masses of green and blue glowing gas in the northernmost reaches of the planet. Dr Gerst filmed the aurora during one of the ISS’ 16 daily orbits around the planet. The 38 second long timelapse consists of nearly 1,000 individual photographs of the planet below stitched together.
The European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut and geophysicist is currently onboard the space laboratory for his second ISS mission. He filmed the timelapse footage just 10 days into his second six-month-long ISS research mission. The ESA said: “Beautiful from Earth, incredible from space. “ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst captured this time-lapse of an aurora just 10 days into his Horizons mission aboard the International Space Station.
ESA Northern Lights: This stunning timelapse was filmed by an ISS astronaut
ESA Northern Lights: The aurora is caused by charged particles of gas in the atmosphere
“Shot during one of the Space Station’s 16 daily orbits, this 38 second time-lapse comprises 950 images taken at an interval of 0.5 seconds.
Beautiful from Earth, incredible from space European Space Agency
“Alexander will be living and working on board the International Space Station for six months from June to December 2018.” A second video captured from the ISS shows intense thunder and lighting striking the planet under the cover of night. The individual flashes of light filmed by Dr Gerst are seen going off out in the open ocean.
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The video ends with a beautiful view of the Northern Lights billowing in the atmosphere. The ESA said the lighting timelapse was stitched together from 1,675 photos taken about two seconds apart. The space agency said: “Alexander often sets cameras to automatically take pictures at regular intervals while he carries out scientific experiments and work onboard the Space Station.” The ISS is currently barrelling around the planet some 240 miles above the surface of Earth.
ESA Northern Lights: The ISS orbits Earth some 240 miles above the surface of the planet