The SMILE spacecraft, a joint mission by ESA and CAS, has captured a complete auroral oval in ultraviolet light. The footage, released as a time-lapse, documents the phenomenon as it occurred during the day in late July.
The video demonstrates the variable and turbulent nature of auroras when viewed from high above the Earth. The observed movement of background stars in the footage is attributed to the shifting camera angle as the satellite orbits the planet.
The primary objective of the SMILE mission is to analyze the interaction between solar wind and the Earth's magnetosphere. This research aims to improve protection strategies for astronauts, spacecraft, and electrical grids against solar storms.
