NASA Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley (the latter of which being a proud product of the Apalachin area) shared some truly stunning photos from 254 miles up aboard the International Space Station. Behnken managed to snap shots of the line separating day and night and it's amazing to be able to see an indicator of nighttime while looking down at Earth versus looking up at the night sky from the surface. Hurley got some great shots of the St. Lawrence River as well as a MASSIVE dust storm in the Middle East, which is also partially shown in one of Behnken's images.
I've always been curious about being up in space because of a phenomenon called the Overview Effect, which frequently occurs when astronauts see Earth from space (especially for the first time) and it changes their entire perspective on the world, its people, and how truly interconnected everything is. For example, astronauts can see the impact of war, wildfires raging around the world, deforestation on the Amazon, dust storms, floods, and other major events all occuring far apart to those on the surface, but all on the same connected planet in the eyes of those looking down from space. In other words, seeing Earth from space can change an astronaut's whole perspective on life. This is why I decided if I EVER win the Mega Millions lottery, I would rather spendat least $20 million to go to the Space Station as a tourist than buy a big house, cars, or a private jet etc. I want to experience the Overview Effect!
Check out the rest of the photos from Astronaut Hurley and Astronaut Behnken below!