Science & Technology

Flying over Canada

The Northern Lights as seen from the sky: the time lapse video from the cockpit is spine-tingling

The spectacle captured during a flight from San Francisco to Lisbon. "It was pure luck," says the pilot

14/11/2023

Video: João Mendes/Best Airplane Seat

During a flight from San Francisco to Lisbon, João Mendes, a pilot for TAP Air Portugal, filmed a stunning Northern Lights.

"It was pure luck," Mendes told Rainews.it, "I usually record a time lapse on my night flights and it just happened..."

The plane was flying over Canada when the phantasmagoria of lights with the bands of color that lit up the sky began.

"The flight route was further north than usual (to benefit from favorable winds). We went up to 52º Nord... When the dawn starts, that big city light on the left is Winnipeg."

The video, filmed in September, was shared on the YouTube channel Best Airplane Seat and also relaunched by the Portuguese airline on X/Twitter.