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Never-seen-before video of aurora by NASA astronaut impresses most, but some claim it’s ‘intensely fake’
NASA astronaut Don Petit's video of an aurora has gone viral on social media. He is currently in the ISS for approximately six months along with two cosmonauts.
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) share pictures and videos captured from space that often mesmerises people on Earth. A similar visual, however, has divided the internet. Shared by a NASA astronaut who is currently in space, it is a video of an aurora in a new light. While the view managed to evoke a sense of amazement in most, a few expressed their doubts and called the video “fake”, with some suggesting that it was created using artificial intelligence (AI).
“Flying over aurora; intensely green,” astronaut Don Petit wrote. The video captures the dark green hues of the aurora dancing above the Earth’s surface. However, it is much more intense than the videos of this natural light display that other astronauts shared earlier. Furthermore, the Earth's lights are also visible in the video.
What is the confusion?
While most people were stunned to see the emerald green colour of the aurora, a few speculated that the ISS could not fly so close to the Earth and claimed that the video was fake.
A wave of mixed comments:
Praising the view, an individual wrote, “That is my favourite shade of green. It is beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Stay safe up there.” Another added, “This one looks like an emerald.”
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A third, however, claimed, “Looks like AI. The Aurora Borealis ebbs and flows and moves around. It's not a static image standing still that just flickers.” Another said, “Intensely fake!” adding, “If you guys want to believe you can see street lights from 250 miles away, that's up to you!”
Check out the video that divided the internet:
What is an aurora?
NASA describes auroras as stunning natural light displays caused by the sun. They occur when energetic charged particles from magnetic storms, triggered by solar activities, interact with gases in Earth's atmosphere. An aurora seen near the North Pole is called an aurora borealis or the Northern Lights. If seen near the South Pole, it is called an aurora australis or the Southern Lights.
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Interestingly, auroras are not exclusive to Earth. Any planet with an atmosphere and magnetic field can have them. NASA has captured beautiful auroras on Jupiter and Saturn.
Who is Don Petit?
NASA selected Donald R. Pettit in 1996. He is currently aboard the ISS along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, reported NASA. He is serving as a flight engineer and will spend approximately six months conducting science experiments.
