Space is a remarkable place, and right now, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly has the best seat in the house for watching its cosmic wonders unfold. Last night, Kelly posted a brief video to let us join in on his incredible view as he soared over a stunning Aurora Borealis from aboard the International Space Station at roughly 17,000 mph.
This isn't your run-of-the-mill snapshot of the Northern Lights. The 10-second clip catches the spectacular moment right as the vibrant greens and violet swirls of light meet the blinding white of the sunrise. The scene, however brief, is otherworldly and reminiscent of fantastic sci-fi visages from the arts. It looks like something out of a Mass Effect cutscene or the psychedelic trip to "The Infinite and Beyond" in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Except this is no piece of fiction: this is real life, and it's right here near Earth.
Day 141. The chapter of a day ends as it began. #Aurora on a sunrise. Good night from @space_station! #YearInSpace https://t.co/hZBMs9q0CS
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) August 15, 2015
Kelly is in the middle of his record-breaking Year in Space mission with NASA. He, alongside Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, are 141 days into their planned 342-day stay at ISS. They're set to return to Earth next spring, but they'll certainly see quite a few more amazing sights before they come home. Be sure to follow Scott Kelly on Twitter if you want updates on his daily life at the station.