One of the many advantages of being in space is having a front-row seat to the most anticipated cosmic events.

Pettit is now in the midst of his third stint on the International Space Station, and the decade he had to prepare for his current stay in orbit was put to good use. Accordingly, he is well stocked on cameras, lenses, and plans to make the most of six months in space to observe the planets and heavens from an incredible vantage point.

Dyson will speak at a free public lecture on Wednesday at UC Irvine. Between three missions, she has logged over one year of time living in space.

Ever wonder what the northern lights look like from space? Thanks to NASA astronaut Don Pettit, you can see for yourself.

He used long exposure camera techniques to capture a jaw-dropping image from 257 miles up on the International Space Station.