Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Captures A Slice Of The Cosmos From His Bengaluru Home
Shukla, who returned from space earlier this year, continues to share his love for astronomy through striking night sky photographs shot from his rooftop.
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, the only Indian aboard the Axiom 4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), has shared detailed images of the Orion Nebula taken from the rooftop of his home in Bengaluru.
Shukla, who returned from the International Space Station with commander Peggy Whitson and mission specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), posted close-up photos on his X account. The images feature the Orion Nebula in sharp detail, with the Horsehead Nebula clearly visible at its center.
Shukla, who is undergoing post-mission medical checks and recovery, took up astrophotography after returning from training at Star City, Russia. He shared that aboard the ISS, he frequently spent time in the Cupola, which is the station's panoramic viewing module, and capturing Earth and celestial views.
In the X post, he wrote, 'I started into astrophotography upon returning to India after my first leg of training at GCTC, Russia. The pictures in sequence are of the same interstellar object M42 (M stands for Messier- Name of the catalogue that maintains all night sky objects) also known as the Orion Nebula. Over time we got better that is evident from the last photo. All the pictures were clicked from the night sky of Bengaluru. Slow or fast, if you keep moving progress is guaranteed".
After completing the mission, Shukla spoke of how impossible it is to see any borders from space. During a live video interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, 'After seeing Earth from outside, the first thought that came to mind was that Earth looks completely one; no border is visible from outside…We all are part of humanity, and the Earth is our one home".
On his exchange with PM Modi aboard the ISS, Shukla said, 'The sky has never been the limit. Not for me, not for India." He added that India's flag now flies aboard the space station for the first time in history.
According to a report by Moneycontrol, Shubhanshu Shukla's mission research highlights included seven experiments led by Shukla, including stem‑cell studies aimed at preventing muscle loss in microgravity, work that has potential terrestrial applications for ageing populations. He described absorbing these lessons 'like a sponge" and expressed confidence they would prove 'highly valuable" for India's Gaganyaan programme
During that same exchange, Shukla described India as 'truly grand" from space, saying it appears 'bigger than it does on the map." Modi praised him for 'hoisting the flag of India in space" and said his journey was 'the shubh‑aarambh (auspicious beginning) of a new era".
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July 24, 2025, 18:27 IST
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