Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has posted an enchanting time-lapse video that captures the view of India from space. Filmed on the International Space Station (ISS), the video displays the Earth rotating underneath the spacecraft as it travels from south to north over the Indian Ocean along India's eastern coastline.
"This is a time-lapse video of Bharat from space," said Mr. Shukla, theFirst Indian to go to the ISS, wrote on X.
The International Space Station circles the Earth approximately 408 kilometers above the surface. It moves at a speed of almost 28,000 kilometers per hour and finishes an orbit every 90 minutes. Video captured cities at night appearing as a network of small lights. "The purple flashes you're seeing are lightning occurring in thunderstorms across the country," he said.
The Himalayas are visible as dark areas compared to the illuminated cities. "That's the Himalayas," he mentioned.
As the ISS travels, the footage shows the sunrise from space, slowly illuminating the landscape with light.
"As we move forward, you observe light beginning to pour in as you are witnessing a sunrise while in orbit. Also, take note of the stars in the background," he added.
Stars shimmer in the distance, with the Earth's curved edge surrounded by a delicate blue ring, representing the atmosphere.
"It is genuinely a captivating interplay of natural elements, transforming it into a stunning display," the astronaut wrote.
Mr. Shukla mentioned that he captured the footage during the rainy season, when clouds blanketed large parts of the country. Nevertheless, he was able to obtain clear views of India. "When you watch this, I hope you feel as if you're sitting in the cupola (window on the ISS) and experiencing it firsthand," he posted on X.
He recommended viewing the video in landscape orientation with the screen brightness adjusted to a high level for the complete immersive experience.
Mr. Shukla created history during the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), which took off on June 25 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The mission, a joint effort between NASA, SpaceX, and ISRO, featured Commander Peggy Whitson along with mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu. Mr. Shukla functioned as the mission pilot, conducting more than 60 scientific experiments and 20 outreach initiatives, including several set by ISRO.
Shubhanshu Shukla came back to Earth on July 15. He encounteredPrime Minister Narendra ModiThis week, he was presented with a mission patch and the Indian tricolor, which flew on the ISS.