The International Space Station (ISS) has shared a breathtaking view of Earth at night. This series of stunning visuals shows some of the most luminous urban centres, visible even from space.
Among the illuminated cities is India's national capital, Delhi. A photograph captures the city glowing brightly, with night lights forming an intricate and mesmerising pattern. The image was taken at around 10:54 pm.
"Cities like Delhi, Singapore, Tokyo, and São Paulo are among the most luminous urban centers seen from the International Space Station at night," the ISS wrote on social media platform X.
An alt description on the image provides a detailed description. It reads, "India's National Capital Territory of Delhi, home to approximately 34.67 million people, is the second-largest metropolitan area in the world after Tokyo."
Captured from the ISS, which orbits Earth at an altitude of around 400 kilometers, the photo shows Delhi fully illuminated by street lights and buildings.
In the image, Delhi is seen divided by the Yamuna River, which flows through the city from north to south. A bright rectangular patch near the right-center of the image identifies Indira Gandhi International Airport, one of the busiest aviation hubs in South Asia.
Another image shows Singapore, the Southeast Asian city-state, separated from the nearby Malaysian city of Johor Bahru by the Johor Strait. A third image shows Japan, including Tokyo and the surrounding suburban areas along the Tokyo Bay.
Social media reactions
One person commented, "Delhi is still luminous with all those pollution?"
Another wrote, "Really marvelous. Feel something like Sci-Fi movie like something coming out of Earth."
"I can even point my road in Delhi map. It's so beautiful," wrote the next.
On November 2, ISS celebrated a historic milestone, marking the continuous presence of humans living and working aboard the station for several years. The ISS was designed between 1984 and 1993, with the help of several countries, including the United States, Canada, Japan, and Europe.
