Auroras recently offered an exceptional spectacle for the occupants of a Boeing 787.
This display was made possible by a geomagnetic storm of rare intensity, which disrupted our planet's magnetic field on the night of January 18-19. These disturbances allowed the auroras to extend towards lower latitudes, where they are normally absent. Consequently, it was possible to admire bright colors, from green to magenta, painting the sky.
Among the privileged witnesses, pilot Matt Melnyk shared striking photos taken from his Boeing 787. During a flight from Calgary to London, he witnessed a parade of lights that lasted for a large part of the journey. Melnyk reported that it was the most memorable night in his twenty years of flying. His images show colored veils invading the sky, a result of the interaction between solar particles and Earth's atmosphere.
The view from 36,000 feet (11,000 meters) offers unique advantages. Above the cloud layer and away from urban lighting, the auroras appear more intense and detailed. Their scale seems to fill the entire sky, creating a breathtaking panorama that is not perceived from the ground.
The pilot is no stranger to photographing auroras from the air. Already in November 2025, he captured glows during another geomagnetic storm. Nevertheless, this new event surpasses his previous observations in intensity.
Auroras captured from an airliner.
Credit: Matt Melnyk