NASA astronaut Don Pettit has recently shared breathtaking imagery from the International Space Station (ISS), showcasing vibrant views of city lights over Mexico and the United States from an altitude of 250 miles (400 kilometers). Known for his long-exposure photography, Pettit also captured the aurora borealis on the horizon, a phenomenon resulting from solar particles interacting with Earth's atmosphere.
During his fourth mission aboard the ISS, Pettit utilized his spare time to create a striking visual of a Jupiter-like ball of water, enhanced with food coloring to mimic the hues of a gas giant planet. Additionally, he documented the conclusion of the Polaris Dawn mission, which successfully returned to Earth on September 15. This mission, funded by billionaire Jared Isaacman, involved a four-person crew and their fiery reentry was captured in a stunning image of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.