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astro_pettit OP t1_jbv8j2q wrote

Chain lightning depicted as discrete flashes in a timelapse. Seen here is the history of an electrical storm, city lights streaking by on Earth, and star trails. The star trails form straight lines in the orbital forward direction but circular arcs left and right of your orbit. The atmosphere on edge is yellowish due to the soon to rise sun. Above that is the atmosphere f-region, glowing in the red from solar radiation on the residual atmospheric oxygen.

Taken during Expedition-31, Nikon D3s, 24mm f1.4 lens, ISO 800, 25 minute time lapse assembled from sequential 30 second exposures, 2012.

More orbital astrophotography can be found on my twitter and Instagram profiles.

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stalkingyouisfun t1_jbvmuhs wrote

Do you ever find the radiation interfering with consumer electronics?

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astro_pettit OP t1_jbxk38b wrote

Our laptop computers will periodically lock up due to cosmic rays; we call this Single Event Upsets ; SEU

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pseudopad t1_jbz4e7z wrote

Can this be alleviated with ECC memory? Or are you already using that in your computers up there?

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The_Phreak t1_jbwfx3w wrote

This was one of the most era defining photographs for me when it came out. It just made things seem that much closer to us.

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switch8000 t1_jbw0yzq wrote

That’s beautiful. I just finished rewatching interstellar and getting some crazy black hole vibes from the photo.

Love the star trails!

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DragonWhsiperer t1_jbwnef1 wrote

Awesome shot, and i always find these pics of earth looking time lapse photo/videos fascinating. I wonder what is happening in the top left with the startrails? They just stop or seem to reverse or something?

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astro_pettit OP t1_jbxkhjh wrote

The star trails move due to the ISS pitch axis which makes one rotation every orbit. If you look left or right of your trajectory, stars go in circles; look forwards and stars go in straight lines.

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duck_of_d34th t1_jby26go wrote

Whoa. Now here's a question I've never considered: which way is the ISS going and/or facing? Is there a "front," or is that determined by the direction of travel?

You said pitch, so is the ISS kinda rolling(like a ball, not side to side tilting lol) around the planet?

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N4gual t1_jby69gp wrote

>Whoa. Now here's a question I've never considered: which way is the ISS going and/or facing? Is there a "front," or is that determined by the direction of travel?

Yea

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gavlang t1_jbyzu0b wrote

What are the little gaps/interruptions in the orange streaks?

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RinShimizu t1_jbv9h30 wrote

Really cool! What’s the most interesting weather to view from orbit?

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astro_pettit OP t1_jbva0bb wrote

Hurricanes are very impressive in scale

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[deleted] t1_jbztqng wrote

[deleted]

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Fellowearthling16 t1_jcser3v wrote

Super late, but I’m pretty sure NOAA or another government agency has them available online. I think I saw them when I was trying to find the aerial photos they took.

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cowhampshireite t1_jbvdukn wrote

This is one of my all time favorite desktop wallpapers! It really appeals to me as both a space nerd and photography enthusiast.

I really enjoyed the video you helped Destin from Smarter Everyday make about the cupola. I thought it was really interesting to learn that tight engineering tolerances and o-rings are all that's needed to hold pressure for the shutter controls. https://youtu.be/KSzuiqVjJg4

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JenShempie t1_jbvabzk wrote

Holy cow, Don Pettit! My favorite space man! Incredible photo!

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May-Eat-A-Pizza t1_jbvhbfn wrote

The first time I see star trails from space, mind-blowing. Thank you for sharing!

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sevangelen t1_jbvin4p wrote

I’m mesmerized by the beauty of this image. Thank you for the gift.

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littlehuman77 t1_jbvkmai wrote

Incredibly mesmerizing photography. Thanks so much for sharing, Don!

I know this isn’t an AMA of any sort, but I feel like this may be my opportunity to directly ask an individual who’s been to space -

Edgar Mitchell famously depicted his visit to the moon as an instant acquisition of global consciousness, stating that international politics become a petty thought. Do you also feel the same, or anything to a similar degree, when able to view our home from such a high vantage point? What’s it like to view Earth so far removed from it in a position where relatively few have been before?

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astro_pettit OP t1_jbxl7eb wrote

Earth viewed from space is beautiful, but no more so than Earth viewed from Earth; it is just new and different.

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Mirabellae t1_jbvycc7 wrote

I don't know how you all get any work done up there! I would be staring out the window the whole time

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AimlessRed t1_jbwm6y6 wrote

Mr. Pettit…just curious how copyright works with your images. Does it belong to you, NASA, some kind of joint arrangement given the unique situation?

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AimlessRed t1_jbygde2 wrote

I received a notification that you responded to this, but I can’t find it. Was it deleted?

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SuperDuperTango t1_jbwfljq wrote

Can we buy a print of this anywhere? This is fantastic.

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VoiceOfSoftware t1_jbwj2y6 wrote

Finally, an an answer to all the deniers who ask "where are the stars?!?" :)

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ItsameLuis98 t1_jbwxuyw wrote

At first I was like "you did what?"

Then I checked OP's profile. That's so cool

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ViralVortex t1_jbw9l4g wrote

Great shot! Reminds of the old 80’s HBO Feature Presentation intro

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[deleted] t1_jbvracu wrote

You sir are an inspiration to me. I can not in words, begin to thank you for this incredibly fascinating phenomenon. Incredibly inspiring. I truly wish I could shake your hand sir. Consider yourself a hero in my world. May the universe bless you, your family, your crew and all you come in contact with. This is by far, one of the greatest words I’ve ever read in all my life.

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AdventurousContext74 t1_jbvtu3e wrote

Look at that illumination just imagine how quick all of that is happening! Great picture

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xHodorx t1_jbydehd wrote

Yo fellas it’s a real astronaut. That’s pretty cool

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TheRedditornator t1_jbwlply wrote

Am I the only one who thought at first this was inside a club with a laser projector on the ceiling and someone's legs on the right?

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Xaqv t1_jbxjsx0 wrote

More than likely, as,physically, you’d be the only one inside your head to envision it thusly? Was it premonitory to an encounter that led to romance or something in there?

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ryjkyj t1_jbyzl74 wrote

This is so cool. I like to imagine it’s what our planet would look like to a higher dimensional being.

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xNIGHT_RANGEREx t1_jbz5kl6 wrote

This so cool! I can’t even imagine how Aw-inspiring it would be to be on the ISS and be able to capture and just see this (I mean seeing the stars and our Earth from space)

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Just_Eirik t1_jbzbras wrote

Do you ever take the cameras out in spacewalks?

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