Impressive space footage captures star trails extending above urban lights.

      NASA astronaut Don Pettit wowed everyone on Tuesday with a stunning image of star trails and city lights captured from the International Space Station (ISS). On Wednesday, he raised the excitement even higher by sharing a video clip from which the amazing image was derived. The captivating footage (below) displays the star trail expanding, as city lights also extend across the scene.

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      Here is a video clip (processed by Babak—thank you!) that sequentially adds the star trail still frames, creating the illusion of orbital motion. pic.twitter.com/upC4vNC5mA

      — Don Pettit (@astro_Pettit) March 12, 2025

      Many of Pettit’s 87,000 followers on X were genuinely impressed by the striking footage. One user commented: “That is next level phenomenal,” while another called it “magically mesmerizing.” A third remarked: “Stellar work, Don!”

      This long-exposure shot is just one of the many breathtaking images the American astronaut has shared during his six-month orbital mission. An image of a stunning aurora over Earth drew significant attention, as did a photo of an estuary in Madagascar, which Pettit likened to “the arteries in your retina.” He also captured a unique shot of the maiden launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket in January 2025. While star trails dominate the image, another trail can be spotted—one of the New Glenn’s upper stage during its coast phase high above Earth.

      Pettit is among many astronauts who have impressed us with their exceptional space photography. French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, for instance, possesses an incredible talent for photographing beautiful views of Earth from 250 miles above. Matthew Dominick, too, showcased his keen eye, sharing remarkable images throughout his six-month ISS mission, which concluded last fall.

      Not long ago, Trevor relocated from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

      This is the most incredible camera lens swap you'll ever witness. Don Pettit has been up to his usual remarkable photography. Not satisfied with astonishing earthlings through breathtaking photos from his current location aboard the ISS, the NASA astronaut has now taken us behind the camera to showcase the coolest lens change imaginable.

      NASA astronaut Don Pettit has also been actively using his camera again. The talented photographer recently unveiled another stunning image taken from the window of a Crew Dragon spacecraft docked at the ISS. "One photo featuring: Milky Way, Zodiacal light, Starlink satellites as streaks, stars as pinpoints, atmosphere on the edge showing OH emission as burnt umber (my favorite Crayon color), soon-to-rise sun, and cities at night as streaks," Pettit shared in a post accompanying the image.

      Astronauts aboard the ISS have recently enjoyed an extraordinary light display in the form of an aurora dancing over Earth. This breathtaking phenomenon was recently recorded by NASA astronaut Don Pettit as the space station traversed over the aurora at an altitude of about 250 miles.