First picture from Cupola by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot

This image is part of a series shared on social media by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, who wrote: “Day 032, orbit 0498 – Here is the very first picture I took from the Cupola… just like when you’re flying on a plane, clouds are at times the only thing as far as the eye can see – the biggest difference being that we’re about 390 km higher than a commercial jetliner!” The blue tone visible in the image comes from Earth’s atmosphere, which scatters shorter wavelengths of light such as blue and violet. A similar effect can be seen from an aircraft, though less pronounced. Along the curved horizon, the atmosphere appears as a thin layer fading from pale to deeper blue before disappearing into the blackness of space, highlighting the fragile boundary that protects life on Earth. Follow Sophie’s mission on the εpsilon page and on her social media platforms, such as X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn. [Image description: View of Earth from the International Space Station showing a vast blanket of white clouds stretching to the horizon. A thin blue layer of atmosphere curves along the edge of the planet, gradually fading into the blackness of space above.] Credits: NASA/ESA - S. Adenot

www.flickr.com · Flickr