Astronaut takes stunning photos of the Southern Lights from the International Space Station

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‘Dawn under the full moon, what could be better?’ Astronaut takes stunning photos of the Southern Lights from the International Space Station

  • Astronaut and aerospace engineer Thomas Pesquet, 43, is currently aboard the International Space Station
  • French astronaut photographed Aurora Australis with rare bluish tint under moonlight
  • “The moon was high and very bright. He lit the clouds creating a very special atmosphere, ”Pesquet explained.

By Ailbhe Macmahon for Mailonline

Posted: | Update:

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These photographs are, without a doubt, out of this world.

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet captured stunning images of the Southern Lights under a full moon from the International Space Station (ISS).

Aurora – which is usually green tinged with red or purple – appeared to have a rare bluish tint, which only occurs under specific conditions.

Thomas Pesquet captured breathtaking images of the Southern Lights under a full moon from the International Space Station

Thomas Pesquet captured breathtaking images of the Southern Lights under a full moon from the International Space Station

The Aurora - which is usually green tinged with red or purple - appeared to have a rare bluish tint

The Aurora – which is usually green tinged with red or purple – appeared to have a rare bluish tint

Pesquet, 43, an astronaut for the European Space Agency, explained in a Facebook post: “The moon was high and very bright, it lit up the clouds creating a very special atmosphere … and it made this aurora polar … almost blue.

“I wonder what Mother Nature has in store for the rest: a boreal yellow or a bright red? A huge rainbow? ‘

The aerospace engineer has admitted to witnessing multiple auroras during his current mission – Alpha – which launched on April 23 of this year.

However, he confirmed that this particular sight “was accompanied by something more” thanks to the moonlight.

Auroras occur when electrically charged solar particles enter Earth's atmosphere and collide with particles of oxygen and nitrogen

Auroras occur when electrically charged solar particles enter Earth’s atmosphere and collide with particles of oxygen and nitrogen

“The moon was high and very bright, it lit up the clouds creating a very special atmosphere,” Pesquet said, describing the rare phenomenon.

WHAT ARE LIGHTS?

There are two types of northern lights: the northern lights, which means “dawn of the north”, and the southern lights, “dawn of the south”.

Lights are created when charged particles from the sun enter Earth’s atmosphere.

Usually the particles are deflected by the earth’s magnetic field, but some enter the atmosphere and collide with gas particles.

These collisions emit light in many colors, although pale green and pink are common.

Pesquet added: “An aurora under the full moon, what could be better?”

Auroras occur when electrically charged solar particles enter Earth’s atmosphere and collide with particles of oxygen and nitrogen.

The natural phenomenon occurs at the north and south poles, which means that people in very high or very low latitudes have a better chance of observing one.

The Northern Lights – often known as the “Northern Lights” – are called the Northern Lights, which means “dawn of the north.”

The aurora australis is called Aurora Australis – from the Latin term meaning austral, which incidentally is how Australia got its name.

Aurora Australis is best seen from Antarctica, Tasmania, and the continent’s southern coast.

This is not the first time that Pesquet has delivered haunting photographs of the ISS. Earlier this year, he shared stunning footage of Uluru, Australia from his perch in space.

He is one of seven astronauts currently undertaking research in the Space Station, a $ 100 billion (£ 80 billion) science and technology laboratory orbit 400 km above Earth.

'Dawn under the full moon, what could be better?' Pesquet wondered, after sharing the space photographs

‘Dawn under the full moon, what could be better?’ Pesquet wondered, after sharing the space photographs

The ISS has been permanently equipped with rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since November 2000.

This is Pesquet’s second visit to the ISS.

In November 2016, he was launched into space for his six-month Proxima mission as a flight engineer for Expeditions 50 and 51.

$ 100 billion ISS STANDS 250 MILES ABOVE EARTH

The International Space Station (ISS) is a $ 100 billion (£ 80 billion) science and engineering laboratory that orbits 400 km above Earth.

It has been permanently equipped with rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since November 2000.

Research on board the ISS often requires one or more of the unusual conditions present in low earth orbit, such as low gravity or oxygen.

Studies at the ISS have focused on space medicine, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy and meteorology.

The US space agency, NASA, spends around $ 3 billion (£ 2.4 billion) a year on the space station program.

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