The photos of an astronaut from the ISS show clouds with a surreal appearance.
NASA astronaut Don Pettit has shared a new series of stunning images, showcasing clouds in a completely new way.
Don Pettit, the NASA astronaut and the oldest active astronaut at 69 years old, has shared a new set of stunning photographs that showcase clouds from an unconventional perspective. These images were captured from the International Space Station (ISS), approximately 400 kilometers above the Earth's surface. The uniqueness of these clouds is due to the station's alignment with the Earth's shadow between day and night. Pettit described his experience on social media as "Living in the Twilight Zone," noting that because of this alignment, the station experiences neither full day nor full night, making this time ideal for photographing clouds under low-angle light.
Since his arrival at the orbital station in September, Pettit has been delighting his followers with a constant stream of captivating images. In one of the most notable photographs from his current mission, he captured the moonlight reflecting on a river in South America, a scene he described as "silver serpents flowing." He also had the opportunity to document the return to Earth of a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, showing a dramatic luminous trajectory as it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere at the end of the historic Polaris Dawn mission in September.
To enhance the quality of his images, Pettit created a device known as a "barn door tracker." This clever astrophotography apparatus allows for sharper images of city lights at night as it compensates for the station's movement relative to the Earth's surface. Additionally, it is useful for long exposures of the night sky from the ground, producing clearer photos without star trails by counteracting the Earth's rotation.
Meanwhile, NASA has scheduled new activities for its upcoming spacewalk, with only two having taken place in 2024 to date. Additionally, astronaut Matthew Dominick, who is preparing to return home in a Crew Dragon capsule after completing his seven-month Crew-8 mission, recently took an impressive night photograph of the Nile River and Cairo illuminated by moonlight.
On another note, the ISS has been monitoring Hurricane Milton's progression, which threatens to bring extreme weather conditions to Florida. Federal agencies, along with NASA, have warned residents in the storm's path to evacuate immediately, as Milton has reached Category 4 status and is expected to make landfall on Wednesday night.
