French astronaut Thomas Pesquet shared an incredible time-lapse video shot from the International Space Station (ISS) showing the magnificent aurora borealis and a violent thunderstorm on the horizon.
The remarkable footage begins with a dark Earth, lit only by a cresting aurora borealis, before the camera pans across North America. Extreme thunder and lightning storms are captured breaking out before sunrise.
“These timelapses are made on Earth by taking many pictures and playing them one after the other. There are usually around 25 pictures for a second of video,” wrote Pesquet after he shared the footage on Monday.
Pesquet has been living aboard the ISS since he was sent into orbit in November 2016 as part of the Expedition 50 to kick start the European Space Agency’s Proxima mission. He is due to return to Earth in May.
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The 39-year-old has become the ISS’ resident photographer and social media maven since British astronaut Tim Peake and American Scott Kelly returned to Earth.
Some of his best captures to date include the ‘Eye of Africa’s wondrous spirals, Russian snow art, and his friend’s wedding rings.