Crew Earth Observations Video Page
Aurora Borealis and Australis
West to East coast Aurora Borealis in North America

This video was taken by the Expedition 57 crew on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken on November 12, 2018 from 07:38:52 to 07:53:06 GMT, on a pass from the Pacific Ocean, east of California, to Quebec near the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The north-facing camera catches the Aurora Borealis over Canada as the ISS travels from eastern United States. Large cities like Portland, Seattle, Boise, and Spokane stand out as the ISS flies toward Quebec.


Date posted: 2019/06/07
Compiled from frames ISS057-E-86668 to ISS057-E-87948

Spectacular Aurora Borealis over Canada

This video was taken by the Expedition 53 crew on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken on September 28, 2017 from 07:38:56 to 07:55:34 GMT, on a pass from the northern Pacific Ocean, just south of Alaska, to the Gulf of Mexico, south of Florida. The north-facing camera catches the Aurora Borealis over Canada as the ISS travels from northwestern United States southeast. Large cities like Chicago, Nashville, and Atlanta stand out as the ISS flies southeast toward Florida.


Date posted: 2017/10/03
Compiled from frames ISS053-E-50761 to ISS053-E-51759

Aurora Borealis over North America

This video was taken by the Expedition 53 crew on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken on September 28, 2017 from 07:38:20 to 07:54:58 GMT, on a pass from the northern Pacific Ocean, just south of Alaska, to the Gulf of Mexico, south of Florida. The video begins looking at the Aurora Borealis over the northern Atlantic Ocean as the ISS approaches the northwestern United States and British Columbia. The city of lights of northern United States are seen as the ISS flies southeast, where the fracking lights in North Dakota can be seen left of track. As the ISS flies over eastern United States, more condensed city lights are seen as large cities like Minneapolis, St. Louis, and Chicago. The pass ends as the ISS approaches Florida and the southeastern United States.


Date posted: 2017/10/03
Compiled from frames ISS053-E-53022 to ISS053-E-54020

Southern Lights over the Australian Bight

This video was taken by the Expedition 52 crew on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken on August 19, 2017 from 19:12:36 to 19:30:24 GMT, on a pass from the southern Indian Ocean to south of Australia at night. The time-lapse sequence focuses forward through the Cupola with the SpaceX Dragon blocking part of the view. The Aurora Australis is seen until the sunrise and night lights of the southern Australian city of Melbourne begin to appear.


Date posted: 2017/09/27
Compiled from frames ISS052-E-63266 to ISS052-E-63561

Aurora Borealis over the North Atlantic Ocean

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken on January 25, 2012 from 14:03:20 to 14:08:33 GMT, on a pass over the North Pacific Ocean, from south of the Aleutian Islands to southeast of Alaska, west of British Columbia. This video focuses on the Aurora Borealis and the limb of the Earth as the ISS travels across the North Pacific Ocean.


Date posted: 2014/02/10
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-53015 to ISS030-E-53328

Aurora Borealis from Canada to Central U.S.

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken on February 7, 2012 from 09:54:04 to 10:03:59 GMT, on a pass from the North Pacific Ocean, west of Canada, to southwestern Illinois. This video begins as the ISS is approaching the western Canadian coastline, where the blue water of the Pacific Ocean joins the snowy mountains. The camera is pointing towards the North Pole to capture the Aurora Borealis.


Date posted: 2012/10/29
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-114986 to ISS030-E-115574

Across the Pacific Ocean

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 31 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken from May 22, 2012 from 08:39:47 to 09:11:23 GMT, on a pass from southeast of New Zealand to northern Texas. This fast-paced video first features the Aurora Australis over the Southern Hemisphere as the stars shoot by over the Pacific Ocean. The video ends as the ISS travels over the southwestern United States.


Date posted: 2012/08/29
Compiled from frames ISS031-E-66034 to ISS031-E-66136

ISS Near Aurora Borealis

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 23, 2012 from 06:05:18 to 06:30:51 GMT, on a pass from the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of San Francisco, to just southeast of Buenos Aires. This fast-motion video focuses on the Aurora Borealis briefly, blurred city lights, and the rotating star trails. The video ends as the solar panels obstruct the view of the stars.


Date posted: 2012/06/14
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-271717 to ISS030-E-271798

Directly over Aurora Australis

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 25, 2012 from 20:08:44 to 20:13:23 GMT, on a pass from the southern Indian Ocean, southwest of Australia to the Southern Ocean, south of Australia. This video features the ISS traveling over the Aurora Australis. The green and red lights from the aurora stand out well against the dark sky and ocean.


Date posted: 2012/06/14
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-276668 to ISS030-E-276880

Passing over Aurora Australis

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 25, 2012 from 18:28:24 to 18:39:29 GMT, on a pass from the southern Indian Ocean, west of Australia, to Southern Ocean, south of Australia. This video features the Aurora Australis over the Indian Ocean. As the ISS approaches the aurora, a very nice profile (including the underside) view of the lights is seen as the ISS slowly approaches the aurora.


Date posted: 2012/06/04
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-277256 to ISS030-E-277921

Towards Aurora Australis

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 25, 2012 from 20:03:20 to 20:11:51 GMT, on a pass from the southern Indian Ocean, midway between Madagascar and Australia, to the Southern Ocean, south of Australia. This video feautres the Aurora Australis over the Indian and Southern Oceans as the ISS approaches and flies over the aurora. Green and magenta streaks of the aurora are seen throughout the video.


Date posted: 2012/06/04
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-277933 to ISS030-E-278379

Aurora Australis over Indian Ocean

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 31 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 28, 2012 from 20:34:45 to 20:37:58 GMT, on a pass over the Indian Ocean, from southeast of Madagascar to east of the Kerguelen Islands. This video features the Aurora Australis over the Indian ocean taken from a panoramic view. The aurora lights are very pronounced and have distinct shapes and dances to each streak.


Date posted: 2012/06/04
Compiled from frames ISS031-E-10399 to ISS031-E-10634

ISS over Aurora Australis

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 31 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 28, 2012 from 20:34:45 to 20:37:58 GMT, on a pass over the Indian Ocean, from just east of the Kerguelen Islands to south of western Australia. This video features a near nadir view of the Aurora Australis over the Indian Ocean. The Soyuz capsule can be seen throughout the video, as well as scattered clouds over the ocean. The Aurora Australis is seen in several streaks below the ISS.


Date posted: 2012/06/04
Compiled from frames ISS031-E-9327 to ISS031-E-9474

Aurora Borealis over Eastern North America

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 13, 2012 from 05:54:35 to 06:00:23 GMT, on a pass from south-central Ontario to the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Virginia. This video begins as the camera looks behind the ISS as it travels over southern Canada. The Aurora Borealis can be seen in several streaks to the north as the ISS travels ESE. The pass ends over New England and southern Quebec, where the lights of Montreal and Toronto can be seen, as well as the distinct shape of Cape Cod in Massachusetts.


Date posted: 2012/05/30
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-232972 to ISS030-E-233320

Western Europe to Sudan

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 13, 2012 from 01:17:16 to 01:32:02 GMT, on a pass from the North Atlantic Ocean, just west of the Celtic Sea, to eastern Sudan. This video begins looking ENE towards Ireland and the United Kingdom, along with the Aurora Borealis to the far north. As the pass continues southeast over Western Europe, the cities of Paris, London, and Rotterdam can be easily seen as bright city lights. The ISS then travels passed the Italian Peninsula under heavy cloud, making the larger cities of Rome and Naples blurry. The video ends over northern Africa, looking east towards the brightly-lit Nile River Delta.


Date posted: 2012/05/30
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-247968 to ISS030-E-248813

From North America to South Atlantic Ocean

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 22, 2012 from 05:25:48 to 05:57:20 GMT, on a pass from southwestern Idaho to the South Atlantic Ocean. This video was taken as the camera was pointed ENE over the northern United States and the Aurora Borealis. The ISS travels southeast over the United States in faster motion (long shutter speed). The pass continues over southeastern U.S., where the New Orleans area and the Florida Peninsula can be seen before traveling over the dark Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean islands. Continuing southeast, the ISS travels across South America, which is mostly under cloud. The pass ends over the dark Atlantic Ocean.


Date posted: 2012/05/30
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-260394 to ISS030-E-260709

ISS over Aurora Australis

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 24, 2012 from 22:35:06 to 22:39:05 GMT, on a pass over the Indian Ocean, north of the Kerguelen Islands. This video mainly features the Aurora Australis and the Soyuz capsule as the camera is facing near nadir towards the Indian Ocean.


Date posted: 2012/05/30
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-260774 to ISS030-E-261013

European City Lights

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 14, 2012 from 00:22:19 to 00:38:34 GMT, on a pass from the Celtic Sea, just south of Ireland, to eastern Ethiopia. This video begins looking ENE over Ireland and the United Kingdom, with the Aurora Borealis faintly shining to the north. Continuing southeast over the English Channel, the bright lights of Paris and other cities can be seen. The pass continues over the eastern half of the Italian Peninsula and overlooks the Balkan Peninsula under heavy cloud before traversing over the dark Mediterranean Sea. The pass ends as the ISS continues southeast over the Red Sea, where the bright lights of Jeddah stand out.


Date posted: 2012/05/30
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-255727 to ISS030-E-256712

Aurora Borealis across Northern United States

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 13, 2012 from 05:50:21 to 06:01:19 GMT, on a pass from southern Canada, just north of Montana, to the North Atlantic Ocean, east of North Carolina. This video begins looking behind the ISS over southern Canada and the Aurora Borealis. As the ISS continues southeast towards Toronto and New England, the Great Lakes can be easily made out as dark features among many city lights. The video ends looking back at Cape Cod at night, as well as New York City, Long Island, and other New England cities.


Date posted: 2012/05/16
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-229356 to ISS030-E-230014

City Lights over Eastern United States

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 12, 2012 from 06:50:18 to 07:00:58 GMT, on a pass from northern Wisconsin to just east of Bermuda. This video begins as the camera is facing behind the ISS, looking at the larger cities of Minneapolis, and farther downtrack to Chicago and the peninsula of Michigan. As the ISS continues southeast, the cities of Detroit, as well as the Canadian city of Toronto, as seen very brightly before the ISS passes over the New England states. On the coastline, the city lights seen are those of New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. The video ends over the Atlantic Ocean, looking back at the island of Bermuda.


Date posted: 2012/05/16
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-227078 to ISS030-E-227695

Aurora Borealis over Europe

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 5, 2012 from 00:44:21 to 00:50:07 GMT, on a pass from the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Celtic Sea, to western Poland. This video was taken as the camera looked north towards the Aurora Borealis and the United Kingdom and Ireland. Once the ISS passes over the North Sea, the countries of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland can be seen, which are rarely able to be photographed from the ISS.


Date posted: 2012/05/16
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-213639 to ISS030-E-213985

Aurora Borealis over Western Europe

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken March 28, 2012 from 01:52:41 to 02:02:57 GMT, on a pass from the Atlantic Ocean, just west of Africa, to southern Czech Republic. The first lights seen are those of the island of Madeira, off the northwestern coast of Africa. The pass continues northeast to the Iberian Peninsula, where the lights of Portual and Spain are seen before continuing into France and Germany. The city lights of Paris, London, Brussels, and Amsterdam are seen as the aurora lights up the sky.


Date posted: 2012/05/16
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-185371 to ISS030-E-185679

Aurora Borealis from California to Ontario

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken March 28, 2012 from 09:40:14 to 09:46:02 GMT, on a pass from northeast California to western Ontario. This video over the northern North America area mainly focuses on the Aurora Borealis and the Moon in the background.


Date posted: 2012/05/16
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-178948 to ISS030-E-179282

Aurora Borealis over European Lights

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 2, 2012 from 02:01:15 to 02:03:31 GMT, on a pass from the southern United Kingdom, southwest of London, to northeastern Germany, southwest of Berlin. This video begins looking east from the United Kingdom as the ISS travels southeast towards the Netherlands. The Aurora Borealis shines near a rising sun as the pass continues by looking over Denmark and southern Norway.


Date posted: 2012/04/27
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-193964 to ISS030-E-194100

Aurora Borealis over North American Horizon

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken March 28, 2012 from 08:10:39 to 08:13:51 GMT, on a pass from southeastern Lake Superior, north of the upper peninsula of Michigan, to southern Quebec, southeast of Lake Manicouagan. This video mainly focuses on the Aurora Borealis over Canada, and the Moon can be seen near the bottom middle of the sequence.


Date posted: 2012/04/23
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-178782 to ISS030-E-178935

Heading Towards Aurora Australis

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken March 10, 2012 from 14:49:58 to 15:06:09 GMT, on a pass from the Indian Ocean, southwest of Australia, to southern New Zealand. This video mainly focuses on the dynamic motion of the Aurora Australis over the Indian Ocean. The video begins far enough away from the aurora so it is easy to see the underside, and as the ISS flies over, the camera captures the motion of the aurora from the top.


Date posted: 2012/04/09
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-141370 to ISS030-E-142341

Aurora Australis over the Indian Ocean 2

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken March 4, 2012 from 17:19:17 to 17:27:10 GMT, on a pass over the South Indian Ocean. This video again focuses on the Aurora Australis as the ISS passes over the South Indian Ocean, from northeast of the Kerugelen Islands to south of Australia. The streaks of the aurora are very visible and active in this video, as the ISS passes right over the green lights.


Date posted: 2012/03/21
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-122539 to ISS030-E-123010

Aurora Australis over the Indian Ocean

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken March 10, 2012 from 14:49:58 to 15:05:37 GMT, on a pass from the South Indian Ocean to southeast New Zealand. This video mainly focuses on the Aurora Australis over the Southern Hemisphere. As the ISS traveled southeast and then northeast, the crew captured the bands of the Aurora Australis as the Milky Way made an appearance in the star field.


Date posted: 2012/03/21
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-130268 to ISS030-E-131207

Earth Through the Cupola

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken March 12, 2012 from 19:18:03 to 19:30:42 GMT, on a pass from the South Indian Ocean, west of the Kerguelen Islands, to western Australia. This video was taken using a fisheye lens from inside of the Cupola. We can easily see the Earth rotating from outside of the window here, although it is heavily covered by clouds over the region. The Aurora Australis can be seen in the right side (south) of the Earth here, and near the end of the video, the lights of the city of Perth in southwestern Australia can be seen.


Date posted: 2012/03/21
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-142928 to ISS030-E-143687

Kenya to the Aurora Australis

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken March 3, 2012 from 17:59:48 to 18:16:25 GMT, on a pass from eastern Kenya, near the Indian Ocean, to the South Indian Ocean, east of the Kerguelen Islands. This video begins as the ISS travels southeast from eastern Africa over the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. The first land we see is that of the Mauritius and Reunion Islands east of Madagascar. The pass continues over the Indian Ocean, where there are heavy clouds blocking the view of the water. Finally, the Aurora Australis begins to appear, as well as a faded view of the Milky Way.


Date posted: 2012/03/21
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-119846 to ISS030-E-120843

Aurora Borealis over the Great Lakes and Canada

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken January 25, 2012 from 09:27:08 to 09:32:16 GMT, on a pass from northwestern Wisconsin to southeastern Quebec, near the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This great video of the Aurora Borealis was captured as the ISS became very close to the aurora lights over Canada.


Date posted: 2012/03/15
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-102170 to ISS030-E-102477

Aurora Borealis from Canada to the Central U.S.

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken February 7, 2012 from 09:54:04 to 10:03:59 GMT, on a pass from the North Pacific Ocean, west of Canada, to southwest Illinois. This video focuses on the Aurora Borealis as the ISS travels southeast from the North Pacific Ocean to the eastern United States. The full curvature of the aurora can be seen as the video progresses over Canada, along with dynamic movements and patterns.


Date posted: 2012/03/15
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-114986 to ISS030-E-115574

Western United States towards Aurora Borealis

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken January 31, 2012 from 06:53:10 to 06:57:11 GMT, on a pass from the central Baja Peninsula to northwestern Kansas. This video begins over the Pacific Ocean as the International Space Station travels northeast near the Baja Peninsula and southern California. The brightly-lit city is Los Angeles, with San Diego just to the south. As the pass continues northeast, the lights of Phoenix and Las Vegas can be seen before the clouds and snow obstruct the city lights. A brighter city appears under the cloud, which is the city of Denver. The Aurora Borealis becomes brighter as the pass continues towards the midwest.


Date posted: 2012/03/15
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-107112 to ISS030-E-107581

Aurora Borealis from the Pacific Ocean to the U.S. Coast

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken February 8, 2012 from 10:32:23 to 10:36:25 GMT, on a pass from the North Pacific Ocean, south of Alaska, to the northwest corner of the United States. This video displays the Aurora Borealis over Canada and the North Pole, and shows the dynamic motions of the aurora near the beginning of the video. The pass begins looking north towards Alaska, where Anchorage can be seen faintly through the clouds and snow. The pass continues down the coastline towards the northwestern United States, where we can see the Coast Mountains and the Rocky Mountains.


Date posted: 2012/03/15
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-115686 to ISS030-E-115928

Aurora Borealis from U.S. to Atlantic Ocean

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken February 3, 2012 from 05:46:17 to 05:53:28 GMT, on a pass from southeastern Minnesota to the Atlantic Ocean, east of Newfoundland and Labrador. In this video, the camera is focusing on the Aurora Borealis as the ISS travels east-northeast over Ontario and Quebec. The Manicouagan Reservoir can be seen through the snow in Quebec as the pass ends over the North Atlantic Ocean.


Date posted: 2012/03/15
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-110695 to ISS030-E-111126

Aurora Borealis from Pacific Ocean

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken January 22, 2012 from 12:09:56 to 12:15:59 GMT, on a pass from the Pacific Ocean, west of San Francisco, California, to southeastern Saskatchewan. This video was taken as the ISS traveled northeast over the United States, focusing on the Aurora Borealis to the north. Obstructing the view is a pair of solar panels and a Canadian robotic arm.


Date posted: 2012/03/15
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-98602 to ISS030-E-98965

Aurora Borealis over Canada

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken February 4, 2012 from 07:55:23 to 08:06:39 GMT, on a pass from the North Pacific Ocean, west of Oregon, to southwestern Quebec. This video was taken as the ISS traveled northeast, facing the camera towards the North Pole and focusing on the Aurora Borealis. The first land that is seen shows the snow-covered Coast and Rocky Mountains, along with the cities of Vancouver and Seattle along the coast. The rest of the pass looks at Canada under snow, as the ISS passes over arms of the Aurora.


Date posted: 2012/02/29
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-84614 to ISS030-E-85290

Aurora Borealis over the Atlantic Ocean

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken February 1, 2012 from 06:11:12 to 06:16:49 GMT, on a pass from the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Newfoundland and Labrador, to the Celtic Sea, northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. This video focuses mainly on the Aurora Borealis as the ISS passes over the North Atlantic Ocean. The moon is seen setting, as well as the variety of colors produced by the Aurora Borealis.


Date posted: 2012/02/22
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-73375 to ISS030-E-73704

The Milky Way, Stars, and Aurora Borealis

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken January 23, 2012 from 08:01:56 to 08:16:08 GMT, on a pass from the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of Mexico, to the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Newfoundland. This video focuses on the stars over the Caribbean Sea, the eastern United States, and southeastern Canada. The Milky Way can be faintly seen throughout the star field as the ISS travels northeast over the Caribbean Sea and towards the southeastern United States. As the ISS continues northeast , lightning flashes can be seen over the southeastern United States before flying over Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City. The pass ends over southeastern Quebec and the New Brunswick area.


Date posted: 2012/02/16
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-68896 to ISS030-E-69180

Aurora Borealis over the North Atlantic Ocean

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken February 2, 2012 from 05:15:04 to 05:19:01 GMT, on a pass over the North Atlantic Ocean, from east of Newfoundland and Labrador to just west of Ireland and the Celtic Sea. In this video, the camera is looking due north towards the North Pole as the ISS flies over the North Atlantic Ocean. The half circle of the Aurora Borealis can be seen very well in this video, as it circles around the North Pole with beautiful colors.


Date posted: 2012/02/16
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-63325 to ISS030-E-63562

Aurora Borealis over Canada

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken February 2, 2012 from 05:07:08 to 05:15:03 GMT, on a pass from over southwestern Ohio, south of Dayton, to the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Newfoundland and Labrador. The pass begins looking west as the International Space Station travels over the Michigan peninsula, where Chicago stands out brightly. The Aurora Borealis can be seen in the far right of the video, over Canada. The pass continues northeast over Canada, where streaks of the aurora shine brightly, and ends looking over to snow-covered Quebec and Newfoundland.


Date posted: 2012/02/16
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-62540 to ISS030-E-63015

Aurora Borealis over North America

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken January 25, 2012 from 12:30:27 to 12:32:06 GMT, on a pass over the North Pacific Ocean, west of Oregon and Washington state. This short video focuses on the Aurora Borealis streaming across the North Pacific Ocean and over Canada.


Date posted: 2012/02/16
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-61168 to ISS030-E-61266

Up the East Coast of North America

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken January 29, 2012 from 05:33:11 to 05:48:10 GMT, on a pass from just southwest of Mexico to the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Newfoundland. This pass begins looking over Central America towards the Gulf of Mexico and the southeastern United States. As the ISS travels northeast over the gulf, some southeastern United States cities can be distinguished, like New Orleans, Mobile, Jacksonville, and Atlanta. Continuing up the east coast, some northeastern states, like Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City stand out brightly along the coastline. The Aurora Borealis shines in the background as the pass finishes near Newfoundland.


Date posted: 2012/02/03
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-55312 to ISS030-E-56211

Across Southwest Canada at Night

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken January 25, 2012 from 12:34:11 to 12:36:28 GMT, on a pass from near the border of British Columbia and Washington state, near Vancouver Island, to southern Alberta, near Calgary. The main focus of this video is the Aurora Borealis over Canada, which appears very near the ISS during this short video.


Date posted: 2012/02/03
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-51180 to ISS030-E-51317

Mexico to New Brunswick

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken January 30, 2012 from 06:13:36 to 06:23:09 GMT, on a pass from northern Mexico to northwest New Brunswick. This video begins looking northeast over Texas, where cities like San Antonio, Houston, and the Dallas/Fort Worth area can be seen. Continuing northeast over the Great Plains states, cities like Oklahoma City, Kansas City, and St. Louis can be easily distinguished. The pass continues over the familiar shape of the Michigan Peninsula, with Chicago at the south edge of Lake Michigan. As the ISS continues northeast, the Aurora Borealis can be seen over Canada.


Date posted: 2012/02/03
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-58303 to ISS030-E-58876

North Dakota to Central Quebec

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken January 26, 2012 from 10:04:56 to 10:10:42 GMT, on a pass from North Dakota to central Quebec. This video focuses on the Aurora Borealis over Canada as the International Space Station traveled from the northern United States to eastern Canada. The aurora can be seen near the ISS, and small patches of the green light can be seen dancing around.


Date posted: 2012/02/03
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-53334 to ISS030-E-53680

Central Great Plains at Night

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken January 30, 2012 from 06:14:22 to 06:19:03 GMT, on a pass from northern Mexico, near the Texas/Mexico border, to eastern Indiana, near Cincinnati, Ohio. This pass begins as the International Space Station travels northeast looking northwest. The brighter city lights are those of the southwestern United States, like Phoenix and El Paso. The pass continues up the Great Plains, where the city lights of Oklahoma City and Tulsa can be seen before continuing northeast towards Kansas City. The last city that is easily seen is Chicago, while the Aurora Borealis is shining to the far north.


Date posted: 2012/02/03
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-57250 to ISS030-E-57531

Aurora Borealis over the Pacific Ocean

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken January 25, 2012 from 12:32:06 to 12:34:10 GMT, on a pass from the North Pacific Ocean to just southwest of Vancouver Island. In this video, the International Space Station approaches the Aurora Borealis from the Pacific Ocean, where the auroras can be seen dancing very near the Station.


Date posted: 2012/02/03
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-56268 to ISS030-E-56392

Aurora Borealis over Northern North America and Canada

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken January 29, 2012 from 10:18:13 to 10:31:28 GMT, on a pass from the North Pacific Ocean, approximately 1,000 miles west of California, to western Quebec. This video begins as the ISS is passing over the dark waters of the North Pacific Ocean northeast towards Vancouver Island. The Aurora Borealis can be seen far north, where both the under side and top of the aurora are visible. The pass continues over Canada until the sun begins to come up in the east while over Quebec.


Date posted: 2012/02/03
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-52115 to ISS030-E-52864

Aurora Australis over the Indian Ocean

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken January 3, 2012 from 15:01:30 to 15:08:17 GMT, on a pass from the Indian Ocean, just west of Australia, to south of Australia, west of Tasmania. The pass begins looking eastward toward southern Australia at the Aurora Australis (click here to read about the Aurora Australis). The crew captures the aurora just before the sun begins to come up in this short video. A few orbiting satellites pass by throughout the video as well.


Date posted: 2012/01/20
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-36035 to ISS030-E-36220

Aurora Borealis over Europe and the Middle East

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken December 21, 2011 from 18:43:53 to 18:56:44 GMT, on a pass from central Poland to northern India, over New Delhi. Throughout this video, the astronauts have the camera set up to look due north toward the pole. The pass begins looking toward the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland, where larger cities like Stockholm, Helsinki, and Riga stand out. As the pass continues southeast, Moscow stands out well as a large, bright city among smaller cities. The Aurora Borealis shines brightly to the north of these cities. Finally, the pass ends over northern India.


Date posted: 2012/01/05
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-14502 to ISS030-E-14861

Aurora Borealis over the North Atlantic Ocean

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken December 11, 2011 from 01:35:52 to 01:45:54 GMT, on a pass from northeast of Nova Scotia to northern Italy. In this video, the camera is pointing toward the north as the ISS passes from an ascending to a descending orbit pass. As the ISS tracks over the North Atlantic Ocean, the camera captures the Aurora Borealis before flying over Western Europe.


Date posted: 2011/12/20
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-11450 to ISS030-E-11751

Across the Northern United States at Night

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 29 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken October 15, 2011 from 03:42:54 to 03:52:36 GMT, on a pass from just west of San Francisco, California over the Pacific Ocean to the southern tip of the Hudson Bay. The video begins as the ISS is just west of San Francisco flying northeast. The coastal lights distinguish the land and water here. The pass continues northeast toward Wyoming and North Dakota, before crossing over into Canada. From here, the Aurora Borealis is seen, with an interesting looking angle from underneath the lights. A blanket of clouds cover Manitoba and Ontario as the ISS tracks closer to the Northern Lights.


Date posted: 2011/11/22
Compiled from frames ISS029-E-39277 to ISS029-E-39465

Western Europe

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 29 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken October 15, 2011 from 00:47:28 to 01:02:56 GMT, on a pass beginning over the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Island of Newfoundland to the northern part of the Red Sea, over the Gulf of Suez and the Sinai Peninsula. At the beginning of the video, the Aurora Borealis can be seen in the far left along with clouds over the North Atlantic Ocean. Tracking southeast, the first view of lights is from the United Kingdom (Ireland, uptrack from the UK, is under cloud), with cities like Liverpool and London showing up nicely. Across the English Channel, the cities of Brussels and Rotterdam (left) and Paris (brightly-lit city west of Brussels) all stand out through a network of smaller cities in Western Europe (click here to for our article about Northwestern Europe and how to find the major cities). The pass continues over the snow-covered Alps and to the Italian Peninsula, where lightning storms cover the southern half of the peninsula. The ISS then tracks over the Mediterranean Sea, with Greece to the left of track, northern Africa right of track, and the island of Crete. Finally, the pass finishes near the Nile River Delta and the Red Sea.


Date posted: 2011/10/27
Compiled from frames ISS029-E-30900 to ISS029-E-31193

Aurora Borealis and eastern United States at Night

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 29 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken October 18, 2011 from 07:09:06 to 07:27:42 GMT, on a pass from just south of Alaska to eastern Cuba. The camera used for this imagery was north-facing, so the Aurora Borealis stay visible throughout the video. Lights from southern Canada show up before passing into central North America. Through the clouds, the peninsula of Michigan can be seen, with Chicago brightly lit at the south end of Lake Michigan. A few lightning storms can be seen in the large cloud mass over the Central United States. Finally, many large cities can be seen on the East Coast of the United States, including Atlanta, Georgia. Near the end of the video, the eastern half of the Florida peninsula can be seen, as well as the lighter shallow waters of the Bahamas.


Date posted: 2011/10/21
Compiled from frames ISS029-E-28537 to ISS029-E-28909

Aurora Borealis and the United States at Night

This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 29 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken October 16, 2011 from 09:07:37 to 09:24:10 GMT, on a pass beginning just south of the Gulf of Alaska in the eastern Pacific Ocean to Central America near the border of Honduras and Nicaragua. The Aurora Borealis is shown near the beginning of the video over Canada as the ISS continues the pass southeast into North America. The first lights seen on the coast of the western United States are those of southern British Columbia, Vancouver Island, and Washington state. The pass continues through the Rocky Mountains, where Denver, Colorado can be easily spotted as a bright cluster of lights amongst many strings of smaller cities. Finally, the pass follows down the central part of the United States, showing the bright cities of Dallas, Texas and Houston, Texas. The lights of oil platforms just south of Louisiana can be spotted as smaller lights in the Gulf of Mexico. The pass ends over the Caribbean Sea.


Date posted: 2011/10/21
Compiled from frames ISS029-E-28110 to ISS029-E-28441

Night Pass over Central Africa and the Middle East

This video over Central Africa and the Middle East was taken by the crew of Expedition 29 on board the International Space Station. This sequence of shots was taken October 1, 2011 from 21:20:24 to 21:41:24 GMT, on an ascending pass from just southwest of Cote d'Ivoire in Africa to southern Russia. At the beginning of the video, thunderstorms can be seen in western Africa. The first lights that are visible is along the Nile River in Egypt near the Mediterranean Sea and through Israel and Lebanon along the coast (click here to read our article on the Nile River Delta). Further down the pass and into the Middle East, the Baku Peninsula brightly sticks out into the Caspian Sea. The pass ends over southern Russia, looking northeastward toward the Aurora Borealis.


Date posted: 2011/10/11
Compiled from frames ISS029-E-18677 to ISS029-E-19097

Aurora Borealis Pass over the United States at Night

This video of the United States at night and the Aurora Borealis was taken by the crew of Expedition 29 on board the International Space Station. This sequence of shots was taken September 29, 2011 from 07:58:04 to 08:09:47 GMT, on an ascending pass from southwestern United States up to southeastern Quebec. The outline of the Michigan peninsula can be clearly seen approximately halfway through the video, with well-known cities like Chicago standing out well (click here to read our article featuring a still image from this video). The haze seen over the bright lights on the surface are likely night time clouds over the area. Near the end of the video, the Aurora Borealis over eastern Canada can be seen until the sunrise in the east slowly comes out.


Date posted: 2011/10/05
Compiled from frames ISS029-E-12487 to ISS029-E-12665

Aurora Australis 2

Video of the Aurora Australis taken by the crew of Expedition 29 on board the International Space Station. This sequence of shots was taken September 18, 2011 from 11:54:56 to 12:18:33 GMT, on an ascending pass from south of Australia in the Southern Pacific Ocean to the Northern Pacific Ocean, west of Central America. Moving lights can be seen several times throughout the video, and the most likely explanation is that these are satellites illuminated by the sun. The Milky Way can be clearly seen rotating slowly through the frames. The glow from the computer screens inside of the cabin is seen throughout the video near the solar panels.


Date posted: 2011/09/28
Compiled from frames ISS029-E-8492 to ISS029-E-8964

Aurora Australis 1

Video of the Aurora Australis taken by the crew of Expedition 29 on board the International Space Station. This sequence of shots was taken September 17, 2011 from 17:22:27 to 17:37:21 GMT, on an ascending pass from south of Madagascar to just southwest of Australia over the Indian Ocean.


Date posted: 2011/09/22
Compiled from frames ISS029-E-5865 to ISS029-E-6163

Aurora Australis south of Australia

Video of the Aurora Australis taken by the crew of Expedition 28 on board the International Space Station. This sequence of shots was taken September 11, 2011 from 13:45:06 to 14:01:51 GMT, from a descending pass near eastern Australia, rounding about to an ascending pass to the east of New Zealand.


Date posted: 2011/09/22
Compiled from frames ISS028-E-47008 to ISS028-E-47329

Aurora Australis over Indian Ocean

Video of the Aurora Australis taken by the crew of Expedition 28 on board the International Space Station. This sequence of shots was taken September 7, 2011 from 17:38:03 to 17:49:15 GMT, from the French Southern and Antarctic Lands in the South Indian Ocean to southern Australia.


Date posted: 2011/09/22
Compiled from frames ISS028-E-43072 to ISS028-E-43296