NASA Astronaut Snaps Knockout Views of Flower Moon in Full Bloom
Spring is popping in the northern hemisphere and the full flower moon joined in on the seasonal celebrations on May 12. Skywatchers on the ground were treated to a glowing disk of light. NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers enjoyed the view from a different vantage point -- way up on the International Space Station.
Ayers shared three images of the moon at full strength.
"I'm still in awe of our view of the world and beyond," she said on X. "Today was the flower moon and it did not disappoint!"
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This view from the ISS shows the full flower moon in perspective with Earth.
NASA/Nichole Ayers
The first image features our blue planet dappled with clouds. The moon hovers in the corner with the dark maria (Latin for "seas") impact basins stretching like shadows across its surface. It's a poetic image highlighting the close relationship between Earth and its only natural satellite.
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Parts of the International Space Station photobombed this scenic photo of Earth with the full moon appearing as a tiny dot near the center.
NASA/Nichole Ayers
Ayers' next image tells a different story. The moon is a tiny dot below an upside-down Earth riddled with clouds. Parts of the space station poke out from the bottom of the view.
It goes to show how direction doesn't matter much on the ISS. Earth can be either above or below you depending on your chosen perspective in orbit.
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That distance glow in the dark of space is the full flower moon. Earth's water and clouds are below.
NASA/Nichole Ayers
The final shot is an ode to distance. The moon orbits at an average of about 239,000 miles from Earth. It looks every bit that far away in the photo. Our planet is a watery, cloudy hulk with the dainty full moon shining like a remote beacon.
Ayers is part of the SpaceX Crew-10 mission that arrived at the ISS in March to relieve the so-called "stranded astronauts" Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore. This is Ayers' first visit to the ISS.
Ayers has been dedicating some of her public outreach efforts to astrophotography. The moon photos show off her artistic eye.
"These were shot from a few different lenses for perspective," she said. "I love how you can see the texture in the clouds and on the moon itself."
The May full moon is known by the "flower moon" nickname.
"Many cultures refer to May's full moon as the flower moon thanks to the abundant blooming that occurs as spring gets going properly," the Royal Museums Greenwich said in an explainer. "Other names include the hare moon, the corn planting moon and the milk moon."
We can't all be Katy Perry and catch a ride to space, but at least we have Ayers' views of the full moon to bring the astronaut's perspective on the celestial show to us on Earth. It's a beauty whether you're down on the ground or up in orbit.
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