NASA astronaut Don Pettit has started 2025 with an impressive photo of Earth, which he called “New Year’s light show.”
The image was taken from the International Space Station (ISS), where Pettit has been stationed since September 2024 during his fourth space expedition. In the photo, the astronaut showed the stunning aurora. Some elements of the orbital station can also be seen in the photo.
The aurora is a familiar but always exciting sight for astronauts aboard the ISS. With increasing solar activity, the probability of observing them grows. This phenomenon occurs when charged particles from solar storms interact with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, creating magical lighting effects.
Our New Year’s light show pic.twitter.com/NB3gq8dxuf
— Don Pettit (@astro_Pettit) January 2, 2025
Watching this spectacle from a height of 400 kilometers above the Earth is a special experience available only to astronauts. However, the aurora can also be seen on Earth. But the best places to observe are in the far north: Alaska, Canada, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Finland. In the Southern Hemisphere, this phenomenon can only be observed in New Zealand and on the island of Tasmania in Australia.
Master of space photography
Don Pettit, known for his photographic talent, has produced a number of impressive images during space missions. His first expedition was in 2002, and since then he has gained a reputation as a master of space photography. For example, in images taken during previous missions, clouds look like works of art and rivers resemble silver snakes. His photographs of star trails are of particular interest.
Through his skill, Pettit also captured the return of the SpaceX spacecraft to Earth at the end of the historic Polaris Dawn mission. In a recent interview from aboard the ISS, he talked about his passion for photography and his technique for creating such images.
Don Pettit is expected to remain on the station until March 2025. The world is excited to see the new images the astronaut will share during his mission.
Earlier we told you about the astronomical outcomes of 2024.
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