And at about 250 miles above the planet, there are few better vantage points than aboard the International Space Station (ISS). On July 1, 2025 the former ISS crew member documented a dramatic look at lightning over the city of Milan, Italy. “Storm observations from [the] space station help scientists study Earth’s upper atmosphere, which can improve weather models and protect communication systems and aircraft,” NASA explained in a blog post on January 7th. Visual data also help scientists assess natural disaster impacts, improve response efforts, and better understand the Earth’s dynamic and constantly changing weather patterns. So while Ayers snapped her picture far away from lightning’s direct effects, the photo can still help researchers better understand these fascinating and powerful occurrences.