ISS Crew Take Shelter as Solar Storms Ignite Auroras Across the Globe
It wasn't just a spectacular light show for observers on Earth—recent solar activity forced astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to take precautionary measures. Bright auroras visible across large parts of the Northern Hemisphere on the nights of Nov. 11–12 were triggered by coronal mass ejections from active sunspot group AR4274.
Those eruptions sent streams of energetic, ionized particles toward Earth. When these particles interact with Earth's magnetosphere they produce auroras, but they can also raise radiation levels in near-Earth orbit. Unshielded crew members can face increased exposure during such events.
"We entered into an energetic solar particle event this morning, and we're going to go in and out of holes of higher than the baseline [radiation] risk," one operator told NASA astronaut Mike Fincke over mission communications.
Out of an abundance of caution, the station's three Russian cosmonauts—Oleg Platonov, Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky—were asked to move to more heavily shielded areas in the Russian segment and sleep in the ISS laboratory module for the night. The rest of the crew, including NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Jonny Kim and Zena Cardman, and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, remained in their usual crew quarters. NASA public affairs confirmed the crew were also given a list of locations to avoid while the elevated radiation risk persisted.
Expedition 73 launched to the ISS on Aug. 1 aboard a SpaceX Dragon and the international crew is expected to remain on station for several more months. With the recent U.S. government shutdown concluded, American crew members have resumed posting to social media; Jonny Kim shared a video of auroras shot from space on Sept. 3 as one of his first updates.
What this means for astronauts and the public
Space agencies continuously monitor solar activity and model particle fluxes to protect crews and spacecraft. When predictions indicate elevated radiation, crews follow established procedures: move to better-shielded modules, minimize time in exposed areas, and adjust schedules if necessary. For people on the ground, auroras are the most visible — and harmless — sign of these powerful solar events.
Bottom line: Powerful solar eruptions from AR4274 produced dramatic auroras and a temporary increase in radiation risk in orbit. ISS crews followed precautionary protocols to reduce exposure while mission control continued monitoring conditions.
