Aurora Australis from Space

This NASA image, taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station, captures the shifting colors of the Aurora Australis during a recent magnetic storm near the South Pole. The image, taken about 220 miles (350 kilometers) above the Southern Indian Ocean, shows the aurora, also known as the southern lights, on May 24 during a period of high solar activity. Auroras occur when charged particles streaming from the sun collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the upper atmosphere. These atoms become excited by the collisions, often emitting light as they return to their original energy levels, creating the northern and southern lights seen by people at higher latitudes. The curvature of the Earth is clearly visible in the image, as is the faint blue line of the upper atmosphere.