Earth's hidden daytime auroras revealed from space photo of the day for Oct. 2, 2026
The SMILE spacecraft has captured the first ultraviolet images of Earth's northern auroral oval, revealing activity on the dayside of the planet. This data helps scientists better understand the interaction between solar winds and Earth's magnetosphere.
Why it matters
Improved observation of auroral activity provides critical insights into space weather, which can impact satellite communications and power grids on Earth.
This remarkable view of Earth shows the northern lights encircling Earth.
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The northern lights are usually spotted dancing across dark night skies - but this striking new view shows them from an entirely different perspective.
Captured by the Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer, or SMILE, the footage reveals the full ring of auroral activity encircling Earth's north pole in ultraviolet light, stretching across both the night and day sides of our planet. That means we can see auroras glowing on Earth's dayside - activity that would usually be lost in the glare of the sun .
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