Award Winning Images from the STS-123 Gallery
Written by Nancy Atkinson
The images coming down from the STS-123 mission have been nothing short of spectacular. The pictures have included amazing EVA shots, images of the astronauts hard at work (and having fun, too) and stunning photos of the ever-growing International Space Station. Here are just a few of the latest images from the mission, and they're all so great, I've decided to give each one an award. This one gets the award for Best Group Photo Ever of the Shuttle, ISS and Earth. On Monday, shuttle Endeavour undocked from the ISS, and after the obligatory fly-around, the astronauts snapped this picture as the shuttle separated from the station. In my mind, this is one of the most amazing images from space ever. And there's more….
This image gets the award for Best Color Contrast Image of the ISS. Backdropped by the airglow of Earth's horizon and the blackness of space, the ISS hangs on Earth's limb. What an awesome view that must be live and in person.
Obviously, this image gets the Best Moon Photo for the STS-123 Mission. Talk about being in the right place at the right time! Framed by different components of the International Space Station, a full moon is visible in this view above Earth's horizon and airglow. I'd like to give credit where credit is due and say which astronaut snapped this image, but NASA only says the picture was taken by an STS-123 crewmember who was on the station while Space Shuttle Endeavour was docked with the ISS.
This has to be one of the Best Aurora Picture Ever Taken From Space. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around having the chance to look down to see an aurora. The Aurora Borealis glows beautifully green in this images that looks northward across the Gulf of Alaska, over a low pressure area (cloud vortex). This image was taken on March 21, 2008 at 09:08:46 (GMT) with a 28 mm lens from the nadir point of 47.9 degrees north latitude and 146.8 degreees west longitude.
Let's give a round of applause for the crews of STS-123 and the ISS who accomplished so much during the mission with five EVA's, adding the Japanese Logistics Module to the station and constructing Dextre the robot handyman. Plus they are responsible for all the great images from the mission, too. Shuttle Endeavor will attempt to land on Wednesday, March 26 at 7:05:08 p.m EDT. As of now, the weather looks good for landing in Florida.
Pictured are Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, US astronauts Greg Johnson, Rick Linnehan, Garrett Reisman, Dom Gorie, Peggy Whitson, Mike Foreman, Bob Behnken, European astronaut Leopold Eyharts, and Japanese astronaut Takeo Doi.
See all the images from the STS-123 mission here.
Filed under: Space Shuttle, Space Station
March 26th, 2008 at 1:02 am
Wow, these pics are stunning! Thank you for making these images available to us 'astronomical' freaks, who are sadly earth-bound.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:24 am
this is an excellent photography and is responsible for exciting me for going deep into knowing what is engineering which allow us to creat such space vehicles.
this is a result of an amazing human brain which works out everything so accurately.
these images are unforgetable.
Thanks for for your cordialness.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:26 am
maybe I can go there too. wow
March 26th, 2008 at 3:39 am
These images really are stunning, and show just what we can achieve if we really want to.
By coincidence, the ISS will be passing over southern England on Saturday evening just as we begin presenting this year's Sir Arthur Clarke Awards. Sir Arthur also gave us incredible visions of our future in space, and we look forward to seeing them coming true. It's a pity that he will no longer be able to share them with us.
We'll be raising a glass to Arthur, and to everyone connected with the ISS.
You can find more about the awards at http://www.clarkeawards.org
Regards,
Jerry
March 26th, 2008 at 6:26 am
Wow. Could a photo be taken from a major observatory that would be reversely showing near alignment of the ISS and shuttle? Maybe even with a countdown so photos could be taken simultaneously and displayed in tandem?
March 26th, 2008 at 7:36 am
Wow-Great photos!
I agree with Jerry-A tribute to Arthur C Clark
March 26th, 2008 at 11:47 am
Thanks for taking the time to put this "Best of" collection together. God Speed Endeavour for tonight's re-entry!
March 27th, 2008 at 12:09 am
…..not only are these Photo's Magnificent, but since I've seen them, my penmanship has improved!"
March 28th, 2008 at 7:29 am
Great pictures. Thanks.
March 28th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Stunning photos indeed! Thanks for making these available to us,,
April 1st, 2008 at 1:45 am
Abso-bloody-lutely stunning!
This are the pictures that make me think of how I got fascinated with space & astronomy as a child.