Astronaut spent his final day on ISS taking a surreal photo of the Great Pyramid from space

For many the sight of Earth from space is a wonder in itself but astronauts who spend months out there also get a view of historical sites and nature's treasures on the planet from a unique perspective. For one American astronaut, the experience of being on the International Space Station became even better after he successfully captured a unique photograph. During his six months on board the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Terry W. Virts had been anxiously attempting to photograph the Pyramids of Giza, which he was able to capture on his last day there.

The American astronaut shared a photo of the pyramids from space on his X (formerly Twitter) account. The caption of the post read, "It took me until my last day in space to get a good picture of these!" As someone who had spent six months aboard the International Space Station anxiously attempting to capture this particular scene, Virts found significant sentimental value in the photograph. The moment for him came in 2015 while he was serving on the ISS as a member of the Soyuz TMA-15M mission. Virts spent 200 days conducting spacewalks and scientific research at the ISS while serving as commander of Expedition 43, which was launched aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. He made a safe return to Earth after his lengthy mission, and landed in Kazakhstan.

During an interview with TIME, Virts said, “I was ready to stay up there because there were still pictures I wanted to take, there were still videos I wanted to do. If you’re an astronaut flying in space, you gotta look at that as your last flight. And so you gotta enjoy it. And I’ve got the rest of my life to be on Earth.” During his time at the Space Station, Virts also captured several other stunning photos and videos, which he later shared on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with the help of his ground team. His lens captured everything from lightning storms dancing over the Himalayas, Mexico, and the American Midwest, to sweeping views of Patagonia’s icy landscapes and the vibrant, patchwork farms of central Brazil, with each frame acting as a testament to Earth’s breathtaking natural beauty.

Virts observed that one thing visible from space is global wealth, highlighted by the bright city lights visible at night. He said, “At nighttime obviously, cities make you feel connected there. I think more than connected, it makes you learn about Earth. You can really tell what economies are doing well.” He describes how Central Europe, stretching from England to Poland, was ablaze with light, contrasting the dimly lit expanses of Russia east of Moscow, where light was scarce. He notesld that Cairo shines brightly, and some European-style cities in South Africa also glow, but much of the land between these areas remains largely dark, visible only by a few scattered orange dots of light here and there.

In a subsequent interview, Virts discussed the significance of capturing photographs from space. He said, "Most people will never get a chance to visit space, so my goal with this book was to share the experience as best as I could through words and photos. I touch on launches, landings, and just about all other aspects of living in space." He penned a book titled 'View From Above: An Astronaut Photographs the World'. He ended his incredible NASA career in 2016.