ISS066-E-86969
| NASA Photo ID | ISS066-E-86969 |
| Focal Length | 200mm |
| Date taken | 2021.12.06 |
| Time taken | 11:24:53 GMT |
5568 x 3712 pixels 720 x 480 pixels 5568 x 3712 pixels 640 x 427 pixels
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| Features Found Using Machine Learning: | PAN- |
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Sun Elevation Angle: | -26° |
Sun Azimuth: | 177° |
Camera: | NIKON D5 S/N: 3502608 |
Focal Length: | 200mm |
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| Additional Information | |
| Width | Height | Annotated | Cropped | Purpose | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5568 pixels | 3712 pixels | No | No | Download Image | |
| 720 pixels | 480 pixels | No | No | Download Image | |
| 5568 pixels | 3712 pixels | No | No | Download Image | |
| 640 pixels | 427 pixels | No | No | Download Image |
Astronauts traveling within Earth's largest artificial satellite "the International Space Station (ISS)" can capture unique shots of Earth's only natural satellite - the Moon. This photo shows a crescent Moon hovering above an orbital sunset as the ISS passed over the Pacific Ocean east of New Zealand. This view offers a symbolic end to the year 2021 and a look toward NASA's next goal for human-crewed exploration.
The colors fading from orange to dark blue (between Earth's dark surface and the blackness of space) are layers of the atmosphere. While the crescent Moon is brightly lit, some craters, peaks, and mare regions are faintly visible in the shadows and along the sunlight terminator.
Astronaut photography is not limited to views of Earth. NASA's handheld astronaut photography began with the Gemini missions in the 1960s and continues today. Photo subjects can range from comets to the surface of the Moon (as taken during the Apollo missions). The tradition of handheld astronaut photography will continue when the Artemis Program returns humans to the Moon.
