An incredible photo taken from space has captured a rare double phenomenon.
Each year, thousands of people flock to the southern and northern ends of the Earth to witness the breathtaking Aurora light displays, but a single image taken by astronauts showcases both.
The photograph is part of a collection from NASA’s Artemis II mission — a 10-day history-making mission to the Moon. The series of photos has captured the journey so far.
Sharing an image taken from a NASA spacecraft last week, a New Zealand man was stunned to notice a subtle green glow along the edges of the globe.
The vibrant glow showcases both the Aurora Borealis and the Aurora Australis — two sights rarely ever seen together.
NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman took this picture of Earth from the Orion spacecraft’s window on which shows the two aurora light displays. Source: NASA/Reid Wiseman
“Love that in the new photo of Earth from Artemis you can see both the Aurora Borealis (lower left) and the Aurora Australis (top right),” she shared on Facebook to thousands of people playing along.
What are the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis light displays?
According to NASA, the Aurora light displays are created “when energetic particles from the Sun interact with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere”.
They each draw in huge crowds annually, with travellers often desperate for a glimpse of the vibrant green, red, and violet hues in the sky.
Aurora Australis, or southern lights, is best viewed in Tasmania and Southern Victoria, as well as New Zealand, from May through September.
While the northern lights, or Aurora Borealis, primarily occur in Arctic regions between September and March.
Do you have a story or incredible photos showing the aurora lights? Contact newsroomau@yahoonews.com
Northern lights in the sky shown from the Arctic region. Source: Getty
Southern lights can be viewed in southern Australia and New Zealand from May through September. Source Getty
What is the Artemis II mission?
Artemis II left the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on April 1.
During the mission, astronauts will travel further from Earth than any other human in history.
At their furthest, the CSIRO said they will be approximately 406,771km from home.
The Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon for long-term exploration.
It’s the first time in 54 years that NASA has sent astronauts to the moon
The mission features a series of increasingly complex missions. The first was in 2022. The current mission is the second of the program, with a third scheduled for 2027/2028.
NASA spacecraft on the second day of the Artemis II mission. Source: NASA
In this view of the Moon, the near side, the hemisphere we see from Earth, is visible at the top half of the Moon disk. It is identifiable by the dark splotches. Source: NASA
On Tuesday, the CSIRO answered some of the most frequently asked questions about the moon as the history-making journey continues.
They broke down just how significant the journey was in a way Aussies could compute, noting the 406,771km distance was equivalent to:
Crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge 353,713 times
2,378,777 MCGs from end to end
Travelling from Australia’s northern tip (Cape York) to Tasmania’s southernmost point (South East Cape) 110 times
Or 102 times from Steep Point in the west to Cape Byron in the east.
A view of Earth taken by NASA astronaut and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman from one of the Orion spacecraft’s four main windows on April 2. Source: NASA/Reid Wiseman
Why can we sometimes see the moon during the day?
What we see from Earth is the reflection of sunlight off the moon’s surface.
The moon reflects a lot of light because it’s so big, so it can still be seen even when the sun is out.
Because stars are much further away, their light appears to disappear during the daylight hours when the sun outshines them.
How big is the moon?
The moon is roughly one-quarter of the size of Earth.
What is on the ‘dark side of the Moon’?
The dark side of the moon isn’t actually dark at all. In fact, it receives more light than the side facing Earth.
But as it rotates on its axis around the Earth (which takes 28 days), one side always faces away.
This is what’s referred to as the ‘dark side’ or more accurately the ‘far side’ of the moon.
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