This was
your sky.

SOFIA's Southern Lights

SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, is a Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a large reflecting telescope. This airborne facility can climb above about 99 percent of Earth's infrared-blocking atmosphere, allowing observations from almost anywhere over the planet. On a science mission flying deep into the southern auroral oval, astronomer Ian Griffin captured this view from the observatory, showcasing the Southern Lights.