This is one of the most beautiful pictures I've seen taken from space.  It is of an Aurora Borealis captured in the opposite direction we are used to seeing it.

How incredible it is to clearly and distinctly see the atmosphere surrounding our planet.

The Aurora Borealis is an electro-static phonomenon caused by the collision of charged particles in the magnetosphere with atoms in the Earth's upper atmosphere.

Learn more here, along with some good photos taken from the ground

Click on the thumbnail image below for the full-sized picture.  Enjoy!

(Click for full size)