NASA Camera Captures Stunning Southern Lights From International Space Station (PHOTOS)

At first glance this looks like your average NASA photo from the International Space Station.

There's some solar panels, a nice view of shuttle Atlantis and a pretty cool shot of the Earth going by below.

But what's that stunning green haze hanging over the planet?

The NASA crew captured this amazing shot of the Southern Lights (or Aurora Borealis), from the International Space Station on Thursday, July 14.

Viewing the Aurora Australis phenomenon from space is something less than a handful of people may ever see in person. Check it out for yourself (below).

LOOK: [via NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center]

LOOK: [via the AP]

Comments

[TheRealestRealist]

01:02 AM on 07/18/2011

Wicked awesome

[AllyCat7]

12:46 AM on 07/18/2011

omg UNREAL! Would love to see video of it, too!

[usofcorporations]

12:30 PM on 07/17/2011

I'm seeing a lot of duct tape on that station.

Yikes.

[Spock]

10:42 AM on 07/18/2011

You can make a canon and a boat with duct tape.

Why not a space station? :)

[repubx]

09:48 AM on 07/17/2011

Thank you, NASA !!

NASA is one of the few things that we Americans can be proud of these days.

[lyredragon]

09:41 AM on 07/17/2011

If this is the southern lights, wouldn't this be the aurora AUSTRAILIS?

[lefty joymonger]

04:27 AM on 07/19/2011

that's what i was thinking too

[meridance]

08:39 AM on 07/17/2011

Double Wow!

[rfburley]

08:29 AM on 07/17/2011

Please! Don't believe everything you see. Beware of deception from our government!

[Aj Armstrong]

09:14 AM on 07/17/2011

Whoa, take it easy there, buddy. If you're out of tin foil I'd be happy to lend you some.

[El Justiciero]

07:35 PM on 07/17/2011

Oh yeah, because the Earth is flat and was created 6000 years ago, right?

[maximust15]

05:06 AM on 07/17/2011

So many good ideas and inventions came from NASA and the Space Program

[SilentSolidarity]

02:43 AM on 07/17/2011

Amazing. So this is is how they look like from above. Man, one more reason to visit space. :)

[WorkhelpWorkhelp]

01:33 AM on 07/17/2011

Be neat to get a pic from the top to see how wide they are.

[telalaura]

12:59 AM on 07/17/2011

And to think, we no longer have a space flight program. Thank you Mr. President!

[cats22]

01:05 AM on 07/17/2011

Primarily thank the republicans in Congress and bush.

[sexyfemalewoman]

10:23 AM on 07/17/2011

I am curious why people think we do need or donot space exploration. Wonder what goes on at the space station. Maybe building it like home for those with money to excape when the Earth does explode or the earth becomes inhabitable from polution.

[yer]

11:21 AM on 07/17/2011

not a good plan as it needs to be resupplied with air and food. Better to stop the pollution first. That's the only option.

[wortizm]

11:38 PM on 07/16/2011

:)

[Georgann Putintsev]

10:48 PM on 07/16/2011

Interesting indeed, I suspect we will be seeing more of these Northern or Southern lights closer to the equator than expected. Was also very interested in the CLOUD formations and the number of MASS almost sirus clouds, the columus clouds are also ill formed. Thanks again Nasa, the Chem Trail Clouding is very obvious here.

[joejett]

10:43 PM on 07/16/2011

Cool!

[Bruce vain]

10:40 PM on 07/16/2011

WOW