A NASA astronaut aboard a SpaceX spacecraft has captured a breathtaking time-lapse video of the southern lights dancing directly below her, following a major solar storm.

A NASA astronaut has shared a breathtaking time-lapse video of the southern lights, filmed from a spacecraft orbiting high above the Earth.

Jessica Meir, who is currently carrying out a mission inside a SpaceX Dragon capsule, captured the vivid display over the weekend. She posted the spectacular footage on social media, describing her complete amazement at the natural light show.

The shimmering green display, also known as the aurora australis, occurred after a recent solar storm sent a wave of energy towards our planet.

Unlike previous auroras she had witnessed, Dr Meir noted that this specific light show danced and snaked its way directly underneath the spacecraft. She added that she was left in absolute awe of the beautiful and deeply moving phenomenon.

These dramatic light shows occur when the sun releases bursts of charged particles into deep space. As these particles travel towards Earth, our planet's magnetic field channels them towards the north and south poles.

When they hit the upper atmosphere, they collide with different gases, causing them to glow and create moving curtains of colour across the night sky.

Source:Ndtv