Seeing Earth from space invokes a strange, surreal feeling within us, as we can witness something entirely beyond our mind’s comprehension. A photo taken from space has gone viral online, capturing the attention of netizens worldwide. The image, shared by 39-year-old French astronaut Thomas Pesquet in May 2017, depicts Europe illuminated by city lights, with one country standing out by emitting the most glow in the dark.
Sometimes you almost recognise countries better by night: Belgium with its illuminated roads appears yellow, Germany has bluer lights pic.twitter.com/xONmqvt7fi— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) April 11, 2017
According to Pesquet, Belgium, in particular, caught his attention as it glowed even more brightly than the renowned City of Lights, Paris. The astronaut shared the captivating image on both his Facebook and Twitter handles, humorously noting that Belgium ‘stands out as usual.’ The photo also captures the ethereal beauty of the Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights, shimmering towards the northern regions of our planet.
Belgium’s exceptional luminosity in the image can be attributed to its incredibly dense road network, where street lights remain lit throughout the night. Reports from The New York Times reveal that a staggering 2.2 million light bulbs illuminate the roads, with an installation density of 186 bulbs per square mile.
In his blog, Pesquet expressed his fondness for observing Earth while working out in the space station, highlighting the unique perspective it offers. He humorously remarked, “There are not a lot of gyms with such a view!” The image was reportedly taken from a distance of 400 km, providing a breathtaking panorama of the illuminated European landscape.
While many netizens marvelled at the mesmerising night view of the planet, some expressed concerns. One user pointed out the visible glitz and perceived wasted electricity, lamenting, “Awful for lovers of the sky.” Another user, perhaps with a touch of humour, voiced concern about potential extraterrestrial visitors being attracted to the glowing lights, saying, “Hope that the aliens are not too attracted to light… We cannot accommodate them all at once.”
Thomas Pesquet captured this impressive image while staying at the Cupola, a module of the International Space Station (ISS) developed by the European Space Agency. The photo not only showcases the advanced technology enabling human exploration of space but also prompts contemplation about our impact on Earth’s night-time landscapes.
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