Space marvel! NASA's incredible shot of Moon, Earth in one frame leaves internet awestruck

Washington, US

US Space Agency NASA recently unveiled a breathtaking photograph featuring both the Moon and Earth in a single frame, captured from the International Space Station (ISS). In the shared image, the Moon appears in a crescent phase, while Earth shines below with delicate wisps of white clouds enveloping its blue surface.

NASA provided insight into the lunar phase, stating, "Our Moon is in its waning crescent phase, where most of the sunlight is illuminating its far side - the side we can't directly see from Earth. The waning crescent is the last phase before the lunar cycle repeats with a "new moon" phase, where it is completely obscured from Earth's perspective." 

Detailing the view from the ISS, NASA elaborated, "Moon appears partially lit in the upper middle portion of the image. The Earth appears blue with faint white clouds in the atmosphere, stretching from the bottom left to the top right of the image. Black space surrounds the Moon."

Reacting to the post, one user wrote, "Omg, magnificent! In addition, I love the philosophical captions of posts from NASA!"

"I really want to board ISS once in my lifetime," another user wrote. NASA often shares pictures like these, including the cosmic wonders of distant galaxies. 

NASA earlier also shared another striking image captured from the International Space Station, showcasing Earth's airglow casting an outline along the planet's horizon, with the Moon hovering above.

This stunning photo was taken on November 14, 2023, from an altitude of 260 miles (418 km) above the midwestern United States and provided a unique perspective of our planet's nocturnal beauty.

NASA wrote, "A view of Earth from the space station during orbital night. The Moon is above the earth nearly centered above the surface. An airglow outlines the atmosphere above the Earth's surface in a yellow shade. Lights from cities dot Earth's surface - among them, a concentration of lights near the horizon identifies the city of Chicago, while the concentration of lights closer to the bottom left identifies Denver."

Airglow is a natural phenomenon in Earth's atmosphere that manifests as a faint emission of light in the night sky. It occurs when atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere, typically at altitudes of about 80 to 100 kilometres (50 to 62 miles) above the Earth's surface, become excited by sunlight during the day and then release this energy as light at night.

Airglow is distinct from auroras, which occur at higher latitudes and are caused by energetic particles from the Sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field. While auroras are more dramatic and visible, airglow is generally much fainter and can be observed worldwide, even in areas far from the polar regions where auroras are typically seen.

(With inputs from agencies)