Astronaut shares unseen photo of ‘lightning at night over India’ taken from space

Astronaut Matthew Dominick, currently aboard the International Space Station, shared this incredible photo of “lightning at night over India.”

Astronauts often share breathtaking photos of Earth on social media platforms, captured from the unique vantage point of space. These photographs offer a stunning perspective of our home planet, a sight that never fails to inspire awe. A picture fitting that category was shared by astronaut Matthew Dominick. His capture shows lightning in the night sky over India.

Astronaut Matthew Dominick captured this photo of lightning over India from space. (X/@dominickmatthew)

"Lightning at night over India. When trying to capture lighting in an image I use burst mode and hope lighting strikes in the frame. I was super happy when this lightning strike ended up in the middle of the frame. No crop needed," he wrote on his X post. The incredible photograph shows a bright blue light in the middle of a pitch-dark sky.

Take a look at the jaw-dropping picture of India here:

The picture, shared just a few hours ago, offers a unique perspective from the International Space Station. Since being posted, it has captured the attention of more than 49,000 viewers, with the numbers continuing to rise. The share has sparked a lively discussion among several people, each offering their unique take on the image.

What did X users say about this picture?

"Is that blurring of the city lights from camera shake, atmospheric, or just the motion of the orbit?" asked an X user. Dominick replied, "In the bottom middle of the image, you can see lights from boats in the waters that look like short little lines or streaks. The streaks are caused by the space station’s orbital speed and the distance the space station moves in 1/5s (camera’s exposure time). The blur over the city in the left/middle of the frame is likely light haze and/or clouds combined with streaking from orbital speed."

Another person added, "Incredible picture!" A third joined, "What a picture!"

A fourth person wrote, “This is one of the most interesting photos I have seen in my life.”

Matthew Dominick, the astronaut who captured this stunning image, was launched to the ISS in March and is currently on his mission. His journey from a US Navy Commander with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Science in Systems Engineering to the ISS is truly inspiring.