NASA astronaut Don Pettit picks favourite Milky Way shot from 1.2 million ISS photos

A career in orbit, one frame at a time

NASA astronaut Don Pettit has spent more than 370 days in space across three missions. In that time, he has clicked over 1.2 million photographs from the International Space Station (ISS). Among that vast archive, one image stands out for him — a shot of the Milky Way that he now calls his favourite.

Pettit, known among colleagues for his DIY science experiments and keen eye for photography, shared the image on social media. The photograph captures the dense, glowing band of our galaxy as seen from the station's orbit, roughly 400 kilometres above Earth.

The art of shooting stars from space

Taking pictures of the Milky Way from the ISS is not as simple as pointing a camera out the window. The station travels at about 28,000 km/h, which means the view changes every few seconds. Pettit has often explained that he uses long exposures and a tracking mount to compensate for the motion.

His technique involves stacking multiple frames to bring out faint details. The result is a crisp, layered image that shows the galactic core in striking clarity, with the thin blue line of Earth's atmosphere at the edge of the frame.

Why this photo matters

For Pettit, the image is not just about aesthetics. It represents the unique vantage point that astronauts have — a perspective no ground-based telescope can replicate. The lack of atmospheric distortion allows for sharper views of celestial objects.

His choice also highlights the growing role of astronaut photography in public engagement with space. Agencies like NASA and ISRO regularly use such images to inspire interest in science and exploration.

A library of 1.2 million frames

Pettit's archive includes everything from city lights at night to auroras, storms, and the occasional UFO sighting — later identified as satellite glints or space debris. He has often said that the hardest part is not taking the photo, but deciding which ones to keep and share.

The astronaut has also experimented with star trails, creating circular patterns by stacking long exposures over time. His work has been featured in multiple science publications and exhibitions.

What the image reveals

The Milky Way photo shows the galaxy's dense central bulge, where billions of stars are packed together. From Earth, this region is often obscured by dust and light pollution. From orbit, it appears as a brilliant river of light.

Pettit's favourite shot also captures the subtle reddish glow of hydrogen clouds — regions where new stars are born. Scientists study these areas to understand how galaxies evolve over cosmic timescales.

A personal connection to the cosmos

In interviews, Pettit has described the emotional impact of seeing the Milky Way with his own eyes. "You don't just see it with your eyes," he once said. "You feel it — the scale of it, the beauty of it." That feeling, he says, is what he tries to convey in his photographs.

His favourite image, he notes, is not the most technically perfect one. But it captures a moment when the station's orbit, the lighting, and the galaxy's position aligned perfectly.

As Pettit continues his work aboard the ISS, he is already planning new photographic projects. He wants to capture the Milky Way's reflection in the station's solar panels, and experiment with time-lapse videos of the galactic core rising over Earth's horizon.

For now, his chosen frame offers a reminder of what lies beyond our planet — and the human effort it takes to bring that view back home.