European-Chinese Smile Spacecraft Captures First Ultraviolet View of Northern Lights

The joint European Space Agency (ESA) and Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (Smile) spacecraft has captured its first ultraviolet images of the northern lights. The footage, recorded on July 24, reveals a glowing ring around Earth's North Pole, demonstrating the planet's magnetic field response to solar particles. The mission officially began science operations on September 23, with teams adjusting instruments for optimal observations.