Matthew Dominick, a NASA astronaut onboard the International Space Station (ISS), often entertains his followers with pictures taken from space. Whether it's a horizontal sunrise or lights on Earth as seen from the ISS, his pictures never fail to evoke a sense of amazement in people. This latest share by the astronaut is likely to have the same effect on you. It shows the moon setting over the Pacific.
“The moon setting over the Pacific. Went to the cupola to shoot Tropical Storm Hone near Hawaii but right after we passed by the storm the moon started to set. 400mm, ISO 500, 1/20000s shutter speed, f2.8, cropped, denoised,” he wrote as he posted the photo.
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Take a look at the incredible sight here:
How did the astronaut capture this incredible picture?
The astronaut discussed how he clicked the image while replying to a question by Photographer Andrew McCarthy, who asked, “Excellent detail for 400mm. Do I assume 1/20000 is a typo?” Dominick replied, “To give you a sense of how fast the moon sets from our perspective. I kept shooting till the moon was gone. The posted image was shot at 21:34:45 GMT. The last image I have where I can see the moon is 21:34:59 GMT. That is 14 seconds later. Was in the cupola for something else and spotted the moon about 21:34:00 GMT and took the first shot at 21:34:13 GMT.” McCarthy reacted, “Whoa. No wonder you’re shooting so fast lol.”
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{{/usCountry}}The astronaut discussed how he clicked the image while replying to a question by Photographer Andrew McCarthy, who asked, “Excellent detail for 400mm. Do I assume 1/20000 is a typo?” Dominick replied, “To give you a sense of how fast the moon sets from our perspective. I kept shooting till the moon was gone. The posted image was shot at 21:34:45 GMT. The last image I have where I can see the moon is 21:34:59 GMT. That is 14 seconds later. Was in the cupola for something else and spotted the moon about 21:34:00 GMT and took the first shot at 21:34:13 GMT.” McCarthy reacted, “Whoa. No wonder you’re shooting so fast lol.”
Also Read: Astronaut shares unseen photo of ‘lightning at night over India’ taken from space
{{/usCountry}}Since being shared, the photo has gone viral with over 6.3 lakh views. It has further collected nearly 7,400 likes - and the numbers are still increasing. Many reacted to the share, with some calling the picture “incredible”.
How did social media react?
“Incredibly sharp, especially considering you have to shoot through the windows on the cupola! Do you ever run into the issue of the windows taking away sharpness in imagery?” questioned an X user. Another added, “Star Wars vibe.”
A third joined, “This is absolutely mind-boggling.” A fourth wrote, “This photograph touched my heart.
What is the cupola the astronaut mentioned?
NASA says it is “a small module designed for observing operations outside the station such as robotic activities, the approach of vehicles, and spacewalks.” It is a six-sided window that provides a spectacular video of the Earth and celestial objects.
What are your thoughts on this incredible picture of the moon captured by the photographer?