NASA astronaut Anil Menon recently shared a fascinating comparison of timelapse and real-time footage from space, offering a glimpse into how an aurora and a night orbit appear at different speeds.
In his post on X, Menon shared timelapse footage showing a small aurora and a night orbit, alongside a real-time clip that had not been sped up. The comparison offers a different perspective on the scenes, highlighting how dramatically the visual pace changes depending on the recording speed.
“A comparison of our time lapse shots of a small aurora and a night orbit to real time footage that isn’t sped up. Though it looks a lot slower, we are really going fast. 17,500 mph fast,” Menon wrote in the caption.
Watch the video below:
While the timelapse clip captures the movement in a faster, more dramatic manner, the real-time footage makes the scenes appear considerably slower. However, Menon emphasised that the spacecraft and its surroundings are moving at approximately 17,500 miles per hour.
The comparison offered viewers a glimpse into the speed at which astronauts travel while orbiting Earth, while also showcasing the visual beauty of auroras and nighttime views from space.
Reacting to the video, one user wrote, “It’s incredible how slow and peaceful it looks, yet the ISS is racing around Earth at 17,500 mph. Space really gives us a different perspective on speed.”
“Real time looks calm because the ground is 250 miles down, same reason a jet at cruise seems to crawl across the sky. Then you notice a sunrise every 90 minutes and the speed sinks in,” commented another.
(Also Read: ‘Watching them never gets old’: NASA astronaut shares rare view of red and green auroras)
Who is Anil Menon?
Anil Menon is an Indian-origin NASA astronaut, emergency medicine physician and lieutenant colonel in the United States Space Force. He is currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
NASA selected Menon as part of its 2021 astronaut class. After completing more than 2 years of intensive astronaut training, he became eligible for long-duration missions to the International Space Station.
Born and raised in the United States, Menon is of Indian and Ukrainian heritage. His father is from India, while his mother is from Ukraine. He studied neurobiology at Harvard University before earning a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University. He later completed his medical degree and specialised in emergency medicine, combining his medical career with his interest in aerospace.