IN PICTURES: France as seen from space through the unique lens of an astronaut
French astronaut Thomas Pesquet is returning to earth and we are going to miss his unique look at France from high above the earth. Here's a selection of his most spectacular images.
French astronaut Thomas Pesquet left Earth in mid-November 2016 on a 196-day mission on the International Space Station. On Friday he's coming back down to earth.
Thankfully for us earthlings, the astronaut proved to be a keen social media user during his trip.
His photos of France from above the earth gave the French a new look at their country.
Here are some spectacular images he captured of France while he was up among the stars.
Cotton clouds cast their shadows on Lyon #proxima pic.twitter.com/KE0ISje5e5
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 24, 2017
A last picture of @Paris from the side…but you can never go wrong with Paris! Guess what time it was by the shadows #workitoutlikeadetective pic.twitter.com/j5CHNsrQFu
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) June 1, 2017
Seine-Maritime, where I grew up and 90% of my family lives! Could never have imagined that I'd one day see my home region from this high up pic.twitter.com/8XozlXbaGL
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 30, 2017
Le Mont Saint Michel again, but a better picture. There is so much to see and six months is not enough time! pic.twitter.com/wxWx2fHU6i
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 28, 2017
Going on a #spacewalk requires many weeks of planning on Earth, and many hours preparing the spacesuits and tools pic.twitter.com/iv30hKBdFL
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) March 23, 2017
Closing in on #Paris, not zoomed in enough, but spreading from Orly to Roissy airports, the city of light is aptly named. Happy New Year! pic.twitter.com/JCONbjKj2g
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) December 31, 2016
This must be @Marseille! A little southern Sun in the @Space_Station with sunlight reflecting off @OM_English stadium pic.twitter.com/lt7nVoMNIN
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) December 29, 2016
The estuary of the Gironde in Nouvelle-Aquitaine – the 'Mouth of France' – seemed to smile at us as we flew over it https://t.co/e3uYJLN8jV pic.twitter.com/99kLtCinfY
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) December 28, 2016
Not every day do you see all the #Alps in one glance. Well, except on the @Space_Station, of course ;) https://t.co/SBifmQyJiR #Proxima pic.twitter.com/Kc82RSTn6E
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) December 30, 2016
Hello @Bordeaux! Some of my family enjoy your way of life year-round. I get a 2 minute glimpse of you flying at 28 000 km/h pic.twitter.com/6tg8fqFogL
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) January 12, 2017
The #Jura mountains swimming in the clouds https://t.co/Il2IkjNMU3 #Proxima pic.twitter.com/L3iOjWh0vL
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) January 9, 2017
The southern half of #France seen from the west. #Bordeaux to #Marseilles. Note the halo of the atmosphere at night. pic.twitter.com/r7aXXUzw9M
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) January 2, 2017
My native Seine-Maritime seems to open up the curtains to watch me pass! My roots are here: from the Seine's loops to the Channel's shores pic.twitter.com/vEMGKJw2V1
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) January 4, 2017
Taking photos from the @Space_Station: look out the window at the right time, compensate for the motion to get sharp shots and be creative! pic.twitter.com/CNdfuE1VIm
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) January 10, 2017
The photo below shows the town of Lorient in Brittany, western France.
C’est presque l’été à @villedelorient, qui s’active peut-être déjà pour le festival #interceltique #bretagne pic.twitter.com/96Oy0hdgzJ
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 31, 2017
The maritime city of Le Havre in my home region Normandy. Proud to say it's one of the greenest cities in France & 500 years old this year! pic.twitter.com/wlOZgJiPpb
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 27, 2017
L’île de Noirmoutier even though this was taken two months after the first picture, it looks less summery... https://t.co/qjC2dTg0CA pic.twitter.com/rAveRhZVO2
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 26, 2017
Mâcon on the Ain river, north of Lyon. #France pic.twitter.com/drB7UIZrIH
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 25, 2017
And here's the famous Dune de Pilat, Europe's biggest sand dune in Arcachon Bay.
.. only to find it later. Success! This is the highest sand dune in Europe. Yes in #France we measure sand dunes ;) https://t.co/1MNGNaYjXb pic.twitter.com/BruuvwJc7d
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 21, 2017
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Cotton clouds cast their shadows on Lyon #proxima pic.twitter.com/KE0ISje5e5
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 24, 2017
A last picture of @Paris from the side…but you can never go wrong with Paris! Guess what time it was by the shadows #workitoutlikeadetective pic.twitter.com/j5CHNsrQFu
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) June 1, 2017
Seine-Maritime, where I grew up and 90% of my family lives! Could never have imagined that I'd one day see my home region from this high up pic.twitter.com/8XozlXbaGL
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 30, 2017
Le Mont Saint Michel again, but a better picture. There is so much to see and six months is not enough time! pic.twitter.com/wxWx2fHU6i
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 28, 2017
Going on a #spacewalk requires many weeks of planning on Earth, and many hours preparing the spacesuits and tools pic.twitter.com/iv30hKBdFL
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) March 23, 2017
Closing in on #Paris, not zoomed in enough, but spreading from Orly to Roissy airports, the city of light is aptly named. Happy New Year! pic.twitter.com/JCONbjKj2g
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) December 31, 2016
This must be @Marseille! A little southern Sun in the @Space_Station with sunlight reflecting off @OM_English stadium pic.twitter.com/lt7nVoMNIN
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) December 29, 2016
The estuary of the Gironde in Nouvelle-Aquitaine – the 'Mouth of France' – seemed to smile at us as we flew over it https://t.co/e3uYJLN8jV pic.twitter.com/99kLtCinfY
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) December 28, 2016
Not every day do you see all the #Alps in one glance. Well, except on the @Space_Station, of course ;) https://t.co/SBifmQyJiR #Proxima pic.twitter.com/Kc82RSTn6E
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) December 30, 2016
Hello @Bordeaux! Some of my family enjoy your way of life year-round. I get a 2 minute glimpse of you flying at 28 000 km/h pic.twitter.com/6tg8fqFogL
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) January 12, 2017
The #Jura mountains swimming in the clouds https://t.co/Il2IkjNMU3 #Proxima pic.twitter.com/L3iOjWh0vL
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) January 9, 2017
The southern half of #France seen from the west. #Bordeaux to #Marseilles. Note the halo of the atmosphere at night. pic.twitter.com/r7aXXUzw9M
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) January 2, 2017
My native Seine-Maritime seems to open up the curtains to watch me pass! My roots are here: from the Seine's loops to the Channel's shores pic.twitter.com/vEMGKJw2V1
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) January 4, 2017
Taking photos from the @Space_Station: look out the window at the right time, compensate for the motion to get sharp shots and be creative! pic.twitter.com/CNdfuE1VIm
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) January 10, 2017
The photo below shows the town of Lorient in Brittany, western France.
C’est presque l’été à @villedelorient, qui s’active peut-être déjà pour le festival #interceltique #bretagne pic.twitter.com/96Oy0hdgzJ
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 31, 2017
The maritime city of Le Havre in my home region Normandy. Proud to say it's one of the greenest cities in France & 500 years old this year! pic.twitter.com/wlOZgJiPpb
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 27, 2017
L’île de Noirmoutier even though this was taken two months after the first picture, it looks less summery... https://t.co/qjC2dTg0CA pic.twitter.com/rAveRhZVO2
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 26, 2017
Mâcon on the Ain river, north of Lyon. #France pic.twitter.com/drB7UIZrIH
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 25, 2017
And here's the famous Dune de Pilat, Europe's biggest sand dune in Arcachon Bay.
.. only to find it later. Success! This is the highest sand dune in Europe. Yes in #France we measure sand dunes ;) https://t.co/1MNGNaYjXb pic.twitter.com/BruuvwJc7d
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) May 21, 2017
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