NASA Astronaut Captures Real-Time Sunset From Space, Says It Lasts Just 8 Seconds

A NASA astronaut has shared a stunning view of a sunset seen from space, giving people on Earth a rare look at how quickly day turns to night in orbit. The post, shared by astronaut Don Pettit, included a timelapse capturing the brief but beautiful moment.

NASA astronaut Don Pettit shared the post along with a description of what sunsets look like from space.

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Real-time sunset from orbit. They only last about 8 seconds from start to finish, but seeing 16 per day makes up for it! Timelapses through the transition can be challenging as the exposure overwhelms the camera's dynamic range. pic.twitter.com/QkGfINWdTq

— Don Pettit (@astro_Pettit) June 27, 2026

He wrote, "Real-time sunset from orbit. They only last about 8 seconds from start to finish, but seeing 16 per day makes up for it! Timelapses through the transition can be challenging as the exposure overwhelms the camera's dynamic range."

In the shared timelapse, the sunset can be seen moving rapidly due to the spacecraft's high speed around Earth. Pettit also explained that astronauts experience multiple sunsets each day because of how the orbit passes around the planet.

The post highlighted how difficult it can be to capture such moments on camera, as the changing light can overwhelm the camera's ability to adjust exposure during the transition.