Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla Captured Earth Airglow
The astronaut shared footage of the upper atmosphere's natural light emissions from the International Space Station.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Space
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In June 2025, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla filmed Earth's atmospheric airglow while aboard the International Space Station. He later shared the recorded footage on X on October 4, 2026.
Why it matters
Airglow provides scientific insight into the chemical and energetic processes of the upper atmosphere, where solar radiation interacts with atoms and molecules. Unlike auroras, which require solar wind, airglow occurs through the release of stored energy as light.
Green airglow emissions occur at altitudes between 90 km and 100 km due to excited atomic oxygen. Sodium atoms produce yellow and orange emissions at the lower 85 km to 90 km altitude range.
The players
Shubhanshu Shukla
He is a Group Captain who participated in Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station.
International Space Station
It is a modular space station in low Earth orbit used for international scientific research.
The details
The phenomena occurs when atmospheric molecules, previously excited and dissociated by solar ultraviolet radiation during the day, release stored energy as photons. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla observed these light emissions during his 18-day mission on the station.
Timeline
Shubhanshu Shukla resided on the International Space Station during June 2025.
The video footage of Earth airglow was posted to X on October 4, 2026.
The Big Picture
This footage follows a pattern set by Axiom Mission 4, which continues to provide orbital platforms for atmospheric observation. The mission demonstrates how short-duration flights allow for unique, high-altitude documentation of Earth's atmospheric phenomena.
While primarily a scientific observation, studying airglow helps researchers improve atmospheric modeling and communication technologies reliant on upper-atmosphere conditions. Understanding these light emissions allows for better monitoring of solar energy absorption within our planet's boundary.
The takeaway
Airglow serves as a persistent reminder of the chemical energy stored in our atmosphere by the sun. Readers interested in space can look for these faint light bands near the horizon in long-exposure images of Earth taken from orbital altitudes.
Further reading
Discover more about ongoing atmospheric observations in our Space section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MoneyControl.
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