Astronaut captures once in a lifetime shot of Earth on his last full day in space
The idea of being up in space seems pretty cool in itself, getting to look out into, well, space or over Earth from above. Actually, I guess that could seem pretty scary.
For one astronaut, however, what made his experience even cooler is the once in a lifetime photo he managed to take.
NASA astronaut Terry W. Virts had been trying to capture one particular view for his six month mission when he was living and working on the International Space Station.
But it wasn’t until his ‘last day in space’ that he managed to get the specific shot.
Advert
While out there in 2015, he took various amazing photos like views from the station’s Cupola – a seven windowed-observation deck.
Another pretty magical snap showed a partially lit Earth with the sun shining overhead quite majestically as the space station’s robotic arms are visible around the sides.
You’d be forgiven for thinking it’s something out of a sci-fi film, but it was simply just Virts’ last picture of the mission.
The photo the NASA astronaut spent so long hoping for though was of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Virts managed to snap a super sharp view of the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt while looking out from the stations’ windows.
He shared the impressive photo - which again looks like something from a film - to X where he wrote: “It took me until my last day in space to get a good picture of these!”
Users called the snap ‘too cool’ and praised it as ‘pretty spectacular’.
One wrote: “This is what you call timing.”
As another put: “But what a picture it is! WOAW!”
READ MORE:
DOOMED SATELLITE CRASHING TOWARDS EARTH
HOW NASA WOULD WARN US IF THE WORLD WAS ABOUT TO END
And one joked: “I think I see Indiana Jones’ hat blowing around down there.”
The tips of the pyramids can be seen clearly in Virts’ photo, with the sharpness allowing us to see the massive structures from a bird’s eye view.
Well, an astronaut’s eye view.
While on his mission, the NASA astronaut shared all kinds of photos and videos to social media.
One amazing photo showed the space station flying over Earth with an incredible bright green ribbon of aurora stretching across the planet.
Users on X wrote to Virts: “Thank you for super magnificent final shots!!!!!”
Another even put: “Honestly don't know what to even say about these shots they so outrageously wondrous and spectacular.”
At the time of his venture back in 2015, plenty said: “Your images have been sensational.”
Those are views you certainly wouldn't forget in a hurry.
Jess Battison