Astronaut takes breathtaking pic of Earth on last day in space, the view is astounding

The view from space is surreal—an experience that words can barely capture. Only those who've ventured beyond Earth truly understand the breathtaking beauty it holds. Many astronauts, including Terry Virts, have shared awe-inspiring images of Earth, the stars, and the endless expanse of space. Former NASA astronaut Terry Virts also had the privilege of experiencing space’s one-in-a-million views. Over time, he's shared stunning photos from his missions, each with a unique perspective that leaves viewers amazed. But one of his all-time favorites is a photo he took on his last day in space, which he shared on X (formerly Twitter).

In a 2015 interview with TIME magazine, Virts expressed his deep passion for photography, especially in space. “I was ready to stay up there because there were still pictures I wanted to take, there were still videos I wanted to do,” he shared. In another post, Virts reflected on the unique magic of space photography. Sharing an image, he wrote, “Photography in space is the artistic side of space flight, and it’s the way to capture spaceflight for people on the Earth... Photography was my vehicle to share the story with folks.” Virts' passion for space photography led him to take one final photo before returning to Earth and retiring as an astronaut.

The astronaut revealed, “It took me until my last day in space to get a good picture of these!” Up in space, one would imagine Virts to get a click of a planet, the clouds, or perhaps the sky, all of which are magnificent. However, the astronaut took things up a whole notch and clicked a mesmerizing picture of something grand on Earth. Virts got a wide shot of the Pyramids of Gaza, in all their grandeur, from space. The picture itself, adorned with clouds and depth added to the beauty of the pyramids. His shot is a one-in-a-lifetime one, giving a glimpse of the great visual from space. Ever since, Virts’ picture has gone viral, with over 17k likes, 11k reposts and over 700 comments. 

Standing as a golden element to photographers, astronauts and others, people are titling it one of the “coolest” photos ever. @stevecourtney79 wrote, “That’s a very cool and unbelievable picture!” @awelab1956 added, “Terry, I can only imagine how it feels to see that first hand. Thanks for this.” The image was also shared by the International Space Station with more details. The caption read, “It took Astronaut Terry Virts to the very last day of his mission to capture this rare image of the pyramids from the International Space Station flying at 17,500mph, but on his 200th day in space he did it!” Anna Mullen commented, “Astronauts just keep getting cooler!” Gerri Crockwell added, “What a superb photo!!! The exact perfection of these Pyramids can only be appreciated from a view from that high above.”