Space Explorer at NASA Snaps Spectacular Image of Cosmic Duo from ISS Orbit
Space Explorer at NASA Snaps Spectacular Image of Cosmic Duo from ISS Orbit
At a height of 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth, astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) witness an exceptional perspective of the cosmos hovering above the planet's edge. Taking advantage of the space station's sky window, NASA astronaut Don Pettit equipped himself for his ISS mission, carrying a tracking device that facilitates capturing extended exposure images of nearby stars and galaxies.
Recently, Pettit published a photo taken from the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft, attached to the ISS, on a popular platform. The picture depicts a celestial expanse filled with stars, and two galaxies from the Milky Way's local group. "I deployed a homemade tracking device to manage the time exposures needed for star field photography," Pettit explained on the platform. "Keep an eye out for more photos like this."
Pettit's homemade star tracker, a motorized mount placing a camera between a tripod and itself to counteract star movement, is impressive. It permits astronauts in low-Earth orbit to observe clear star views instead of the usually fuzzy pictures caught via the ISS.
The two celestial figures portray the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Small Magellanic Cloud, according to LiveScience. They serve as the Milky Way's nearest neighbors and can be spotted amongst the night sky from the southern hemisphere.
The Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy situated near 160,000 light years from Earth, contains around 30 billion stars. Its smaller companion, the Small Magellanic Cloud, is a dwarf galaxy sporting approximately 3 billion stars. It's slightly farther away, located at around 210,000 light years from Earth. Both galaxies are deemed galactic satellites, orbiting around the Milky Way galaxy during its cosmic voyages.
Pettit's side-by-side image of the two galaxies underlines the enormity of the universe. This isn't the astronaut's first attempt at disseminating ISS views. Earlier this month, Pettit captured what he referred to as "cosmic fireflies," floating outside the space station, which were actually Starlink satellites reflecting sunlight.
Pettit journeyed to the ISS in September, as part of the Expedition 72 mission, riding aboard a Russian Soyuz crew capsule. At 69 years old, Pettit holds the title of the oldest active astronaut at NASA, having logged over 370 days in space and over 13 hours of spacewalk time, as per NASA. After spending all that time in space, the astronaut remains captivated by the surrounding cosmos and invites us to join him on this cosmic ride.
The future of space exploration and astronomy is promising with advancements in technology, as demonstrated by NASA astronaut Don Pettit's homemade star tracker on the ISS. This device, combining science and innovation, allows for clearer star views and extended exposure images of celestial bodies in low-Earth orbit.
As we delve into the depths of space, discoveries like the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Small Magellanic Cloud, two neighboring galaxies to our Milky Way, remind us of the vastness and complexity of the universe awaiting exploration in the realm of space science and technology.