What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Yes—SMILE’s ultraviolet camera captured a complete view of the northern auroral oval, including its sunlit side. NASA’s October 6, 2026 Astronomy Picture of the Day shows a roughly 58-second time-lapse from a longer observation on July 24. The rippling ring is auroral activity changing during a substorm; the small points that appear to drift beside Earth are distant stars, apparently moving because the spacecraft’s camera view shifts as it orbits.
What the APOD video shows
The image comes from the Ultraviolet Imager (UVI) aboard SMILE, the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer, a joint mission of the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. UVI recorded the complete northern auroral oval: a ring of auroral activity around Earth’s magnetic pole. The NASA APOD caption describes the sequence as an hour of activity compressed into a short time-lapse; ESA identifies the displayed footage as covering 00:00–00:58 UT on July 24, 2026, while the spacecraft was in commissioning. NASA APOD, October 6, 2026; ESA, September 30, 2026.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The ring’s ripples indicate a substorm, a brief disturbance in Earth’s magnetosphere. Solar-wind particles interact with and compress magnetic field lines; energetic particles are then directed toward the polar regions, where they produce auroral emissions. The changing shape is a view of that activity, not a fixed luminous circle painted around Earth.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Why the moving dots are not moving stars
The dots of light beside Earth are distant stars. Their apparent drift across the frame comes from SMILE’s changing camera view as the spacecraft moves in orbit. The clip does not show stars rapidly crossing the sky.
Why a complete oval is difficult to see from Earth
From the ground, an observer sees only the part of the oval above the local horizon. The ring is too large to fit into a ground-level view all at once, and visible-light observations cannot show aurora on the sunlit side against daylight. A conventional visible-light camera therefore cannot capture the whole oval in the way this video does.
Auroras emit strongly in ultraviolet wavelengths. UVI detects that ultraviolet emission and filters faint ultraviolet dayglow from Earth’s upper atmosphere, allowing it to image the dayside as well as the night side. This is a scientific ultraviolet view, not a natural-color photograph. ESA, “Smile’s ultraviolet vision”.
Rank #2
- 【Magical Northern Lights Wall Art】The decorative paintings in this set feature a dreamy design with a focus on northern lights' beauty. They skillfully incorporate elements of stars, pine trees, and lake, using black and sage green hues as the primary colors to create a fresh, inviting, and retro aesthetic that complements any living space.
- 【Perfect Home Decor】The captivating set of nature-theme wall art is the perfect choice for enhancing the decor of your living room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, dining area, office, hotel, farmhouse, bar, or any other space. It also makes a great gift for friends and family.
- 【Effortless to Display】The framed night sky wall art set includes three pieces, each measuring 20×40 inches×1pc (50×100cm×1pc). We provide a complete hanging kit, making it easy for you to hang the artwork when it arrives. Simply measure your wall space and effortlessly display the art.
- 【Quality Prints, Made to Last】The Aurora Borealis pictures wall decor is crafted with premium materials for long-lasting brilliance. With high-definition printing, fade-resistant ink, waterproof canvas, and PS frames with wood texture, these prints are built to withstand time. They are carefully packaged for safe delivery.
- 【Satisfaction Guarantee】We prioritize your satisfaction and carefully inspect our nature theme wilderness wall art to ensure quality. Please note that actual colors may slightly differ from the pictures due to monitor display variations. If you have any concerns, please reach out to us for assistance.
What SMILE is designed to learn
SMILE combines four instruments to study how the solar wind affects Earth’s magnetosphere and, in turn, the aurora. Two instruments make remote images; two measure conditions near the spacecraft. The combination is intended to connect incoming solar-wind and magnetosheath conditions with changes in Earth’s magnetic environment.
| Instrument | What it measures | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Soft X-ray Imager (SXI) | Soft X-rays from the interaction around Earth’s magnetosphere | Remote sensing |
| Ultraviolet Imager (UVI) | Ultraviolet auroral emissions | Remote sensing |
| Magnetometer (MAG) | Magnetic field near the spacecraft | In-situ measurement |
| Light Ion Analyser (LIA) | Light ions near the spacecraft | In-situ measurement |
ESA’s mission overview gives SMILE a planned three-year lifetime and a headline observing orbit reaching 121,000 km above the North Pole. Those are mission design figures, not results of the July video. ESA says UVI can observe aurora continuously for up to 45 hours and, depending on orbit, take an image every 60 seconds at 30–90 km resolution. The APOD time-lapse is only the displayed portion of one observation, not a 45-hour recording. ESA mission overview; ESA UVI explainer.
Rank #3
- 🌌【Northern Lights Wall Art Size】- 12 x 12 inch ( 30 x 30cm ), total 4 Panel. This northern lights wall art prints, colorful aurora borealis and bonfire photo pictures already come with canvas wrapped wooden framed and hook mounted ready to hang. Nature farmhouse aurora wall art, create a natural feeling of calm and relax to your home interior decor scene.
- 🌌【Green Aurora Borealis Scenery Bathroom Decor】- Nature northern lights scenic art easy match any room decor style, suitable for hanging in the living room, foyer, apartment, villa, kitchen, office, couple bedroom, guest room, bathroom, hall, lounge, dorm, hotel, restaurant, coffee, loft, gym, bar, etc. Impressive view and brings modern nature scene to your home decor.
- 🌌【Aurora Borealis Wall Art Canvas Painting Unique Gift】- Colorful aurora borealis landscape wall art is an ideal gift for family members, friends, lover, astronomy enthusiasts, neighbors or workmates on Christmas, New year, Birthday, Housewarming, Wedding, Memorial Day, family gathering, Party, Father’s day, Mother’s day etc.
- 🌌【Nature Forest Wall Art Premium Canvas Print】- Printed using advanced Giclée technology, this wall art delivers rich, vibrant colors and fine details. Printed on High-Definition, high gloss, waterproof, UV resistant canvas. No needed additional frame, easy for hang.
- 🌌【Please Note】- The display Aurora landscape wall art are for illustration purposes only, actual colors may vary slightly due to differences in monitor brands, lighting, and screen settings. If you encounter any issues, please feel free to mail us. We are always dedicated to providing the best buying experience for our customers.
SMILE’s status when the video was published
ESA reported that SMILE reached its target science orbit on June 20, 2026, and was declared ready to begin science operations on September 23. In its September 30 update, ESA said UVI had already captured the footage while commissioning continued. SXI had taken first images, but excess stray light remained when it pointed toward Earth. ESA described changes to onboard settings and software and expected the unwanted light to reach a minimum in mid-October, potentially enabling a first useful image of the magnetopause or northern polar cusp. That was ESA’s expectation at the time of the update, not confirmation that such an image was later obtained. ESA, September 30, 2026.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Canvas Dimensions: Wall Art Canvas prints 1 Panel Frame size 50x100cm x1pcs (20x40inch x1pcs)
- Premium Quality Materials: High definition prints on premium canvas, waterproof, UV resistant, and fading resistant for indoor use
- Versatile Room Decoration: Suitable for Living Room, Bedroom, Kitchen, Office, Hotel, Dining Room, and Bar. Note that actual wall art colors may be slightly different from the product image due to different brand monitors
- Ready to Hang Installation: The Canvas Print is already perfectly stretched on wooden frame with hooks mounted on each panel for easy hanging out of box
- Aurora Scenery Theme: Features stunning aurora scenery artwork that brightens your walls and creates a captivating focal point in any space
Rank #4
- 【☛Wall Art Canvas prints Framed Size】：30x40cmx2pcs,30x60cmx2pcs,30x80cmx1pcs
- 【☛PERFECT GIFT IDEA】：This Product makes a thoughtful and unique gift for anyone who loves nature,Give it as a birthday, Christmas, or housewarming ，Whether for a friend, family member, or significant other, that is sure to be cherished for years to come.
- 【☛WATERPROOF】:Made with premium canvas and printed with fade-resistant ink, ensuring a long-lasting and vibrant print. Protects the canvas print from water damage, making it suitable for any room in the house including bathrooms and kitchens
- 【☛Art Decor Made For The House】:A perfect wall decorations paintings for office, bedroom, kitchen, hotel, dining room, bathroom, bar etc.
- 【☛Professionally Packaged】:we have packaged this art piece with high-quality cartons，and We take great care in packaging our products to ensure they arrive in perfect condition. For any quality problem, you can contact us at any time and we will deal with your problem immediately
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
