‘Raw, silent beauty’: Astronaut captures spectacular lightning storm from space (VIDEO)
Ever wondered what lightning looks like from space? Well, wonder no more because NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold has released extraordinary footage showing numerous flashes lighting up North America.
The footage was filmed from the International Space Station as it orbited the globe on a predawn pass from Mexico to New York.
The video captures dozens of lightning strikes across a vast swath of land in footage sped up to cram the 2,000-mile journey into mere seconds. The strangely soft light emitted by the flashes creates a spectacular natural display, almost as if the Earth is hosting an enormous rave.
The raw, silent beauty of the lightning below accompanies us on a predawn pass from #Mexico to #NewYork. pic.twitter.com/6nfFwYizU3
— Ricky Arnold (@astro_ricky) May 15, 2018
Towards the end of the video the cold, blue light of dawn can be seen beginning to sweep across the curved landscape.
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Arnold is clearly making the most of his incredible vantage point by capturing and sharing extraordinary views from the station. He came on board the ISS on March 23 and is set to return to Earth in October.
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