SMILE mission releases first ultraviolet images of Earth's aurora

The SMILE (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) mission, a joint collaboration between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has released its first ultraviolet images of Earth’s aurora. The footage captures a massive auroral ring circling the North Pole, covering approximately one-third of the Earth's visible disk.

Unlike visible light observations which are typically limited to nighttime, the SMILE satellite uses ultraviolet wavelengths to track charged particle interactions in the upper atmosphere, allowing it to observe auroras even in broad daylight by avoiding solar reflection. The mission aims to study how solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere.

Launched in May 2026, the spacecraft operates in an elliptical orbit that allows for continuous observation of the polar regions for up to 45 hours at a time. In addition to the ultraviolet imager, the satellite carries instruments to measure magnetic fields, soft X-rays, and light ions. While the X-ray camera is currently undergoing calibration to reduce stray light interference, the mission is confirmed to be in its operational scientific phase.