A long-exposure shot as the International Space Station soared 257 miles above Lake Michigan

iss072e097446 (Oct. 24, 2024) As the space station soared some 250 miles above Lake Michigan, NASA astronaut Don Pettit captured this long-exposure photograph of city lights streaking across Earth as a green and red aurora moved through the atmosphere. Observing urban lighting from space can give researchers insights into population density, city expansion, and disaster prevention.