There are few sights as unanimously adored as a sunset. From the beach to the driver’s seat of a car, a sunset looks beautiful from anywhere. And, as we can see in this photograph, sunsets might be even more spectacular from space.
What is it?
NASA astronaut Chris Williams captured this image of a sunset from aboard the International Space Station, as it orbited 266 miles (428 kilometers) above Earth on May 4, 2026. The photograph reveals bands of color in the clouds in Earth’s atmosphere, just seen from above.
Against the stark black backdrop of space, a bright red and orange stripe of color streaks across this sunset view as a deep well of blue lies below.
While it’s not visible in the image, this sunset was captured from above the Patagonia region in South America.
Why is it incredible?
Perspective is everything. While a sunset might be a beautiful sight from just about anywhere on (or off) Earth, this view is really something spectacular.
Being able to see Earth from space is an incredible privilege. The first color view of Earth from space was seen with the groundbreaking Earthrise image captured of our planet from lunar orbit during Apollo 8 in 1968. This view was incredibly influential, showing our planet as it is, with just a thin atmosphere between us and the vast vacuum of space. This view is credited with inspiring many to participate in the environmentalist movement.
It has been almost 30 years since the first module of the ISS launched in 1998. The ISS has been a cutting-edge laboratory ever since, a site of international cooperation, and a place where humans have consistently lived in space for over 25 years. This consistent habitation, in addition to facilitating ongoing science, has essentially given humanity a lens to see Earth from afar.