Astronaut Captures Purple Aurora with Nikon Z9 from Orbit

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir captured a striking aurora displaying green and purple hues from the International Space Station at an altitude of 255 miles. Using a Nikon Z9 with a 15mm lens, she photographed the phenomenon over Kyrgyzstan, noting the unusual brilliance of the purple wavelengths, attributed to nitrogen. The orbital perspective allowed Meir to observe the distinct layering of atmospheric emissions, with green from oxygen and purple from nitrogen, appearing as stacked bands rather than blended colors seen from the ground. The photograph, cataloged by NASA, was taken during a period of minor geomagnetic storms, enhanced by the seasonal alignment of Earth's magnetic field around the equinox.