The Northern Lights Look Spectacular From Space — See for Yourself Thanks to This NASA Astronaut’s Video

Ever wonder what the northern lights look like from space? Thanks to NASA astronaut Don Pettit, you can see for yourself.

Pettit captured this time-lapse of the aurora from the International Space Station (ISS), where he’s been stationed since September. The veteran astronaut — he’s currently on his fourth spaceflight — is known for his incredible astrophotography. He’s even invented his own star tracker device for long-exposure photography and brought that to space with him.

In the video, a bright green band of aurora can be seen “dancing” over Eastern Canada on January 5. The green emissions of the northern lights can be found around 75 miles above the Earth, according to his Reddit post, while the International Space Station orbits at an altitude of approximately 250 miles.

And a bonus, Pettit often posts on reddit where he gives in-depth details on his images and videos.

Other hues are found at various altitudes; red, for instance, can be found between approximately 186 and 373 miles above the Earth, which means the ISS can move right through it. “For big aurora displays, It is like we have been shrunk to some miniature dimension and inserted into a neon sign,” wrote.

Want to see the northern lights yourself? You’re in luck. According to NASA, the sun reached solar maximum, or a period of intense solar activity that can cause more frequent and more vibrant aurora, in October. The period of solar maximum can last the whole year, though it’s possible to see the northern lights even in solar minimum.

Strong solar storms can bring the northern lights down into the United States, but you’re better off heading north for a greater chance to see them. Some of the best places in the world to see the northern lights include Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Sweden.