Aug 19, 2015 03:19 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

One of the perks of being aboard the International Space Station (ISS) is constantly being able to look down on the Earth and witness some of the most stunning views imaginable.

Scott Kelly, one of two crewmembers midway through the "Year in Space" mission, captured on such view - an aurora - and shared it on Twitter. NASA later released the image in high resolution.

You can see the high-res image here.

"The dancing lights of the aurora provide spectacular views, but also capture the imagination of scientists who study incoming energy and particles from the sun," NASA said in a press release detailing the photo. "Aurora are one effect of such energetic particles, which can speed out from the sun both in a steady stream called the solar wind and due to giant eruptions known as coronal mass ejections or CMEs. After a trip toward Earth that can last two to three days, the solar particles and magnetic fields cause the release of particles already trapped near Earth, which in turn trigger reactions in the upper atmosphere in which oxygen and nitrogen molecules release photons of light.

"The result: the Northern and Southern lights."

Kelly, an astronaut with NASA, and Mikhail Kornienko, a Russian cosmonaut, are participating in a study to test the effects of a long-term stay in space. When they return to Earth, they will have their eyes, muscles and bones checked.

Additionally, Kelly has a twin brother who is also a NASA astronaut to compare the results to.

See Now: Covert Team Inside Newsweek Revealed as Key Players in False Human Trafficking Lawsuit