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Astronaut captures stunning photo of the Moon from space

The image was shared to illustrate how far astronauts travel as they orbit the Earth aboard the ISS.
The image was shared to illustrate how far astronauts travel as they orbit the Earth aboard the ISS. The image was shared to illustrate how far astronauts travel as they orbit the Earth aboard the ISS.

A German astronaut has shared a breathtaking photo he took of the moon from the International Space Station (ISS).

Alexander Gerst, from the European Space Agency, posted the image on Twitter showing Earth’s natural satellite from a unique viewpoint.

Dr Gerst, a geophysicist who was selected in 2009 to take part in space training and is currently on his second space mission, wrote: “By orbiting the Earth almost 16 times per day, the #ISS crew travel the distance to the Moon and back – every day.”

Astronauts aboard the ISS – a science laboratory orbiting 250 miles above Earth every 90 minutes – are able to see multiple moonsets in a single day as it travels at a brisk speed of 17,100 miles per hour.

Back in May, Nasa astronaut Drew Feustel shared a video of a chance viewing of a moonset.

The Moon is approximately 238,900 miles away from Earth.