On 19 January 2026, Europe witnessed a rare and stunning display of auroras glowing red and green across the sky. These vibrant lights, usually seen near the poles, stretched far over Europe’s landscape on a chilly winter night. NASA’s International Space Station (ISS), flying 262 miles above Earth, captured this breathtaking sight. The photo shows glowing curtains of light along the Earth's curve, with Europe's dark silhouette and bright city lights beneath. The picture was taken around 10:02 pm local time as the ISS flew over the Mediterranean Sea, looking north across Italy into central and northern Europe. Astronaut Chris Williams took the shot. Auroras happen when charged particles from the Sun hit Earth’s atmosphere. Guided by Earth’s magnetic field, these particles collide with oxygen and nitrogen gases, releasing colors. Oxygen at lower altitudes glows green, while at higher altitudes it shines red. This mix of colors means strong solar activity passed through several atmospheric layers at once, signaling intense geomagnetic storms. Such storms can push auroras far from their usual polar zones. Auroras are a key sign of space weather, which involves solar energy disturbing Earth’s magnetic field. These disturbances affect satellites and our atmosphere. The rare aurora over Europe is more than a beautiful show. It gives scientists important data on how solar particles enter and move through Earth’s atmosphere. This helps improve space weather models. These models are vital as our technology grows more dependent on satellites. Every aurora photo from space deepens our understanding of the powerful link between Earth and the Sun.