1 week ago
NASA Astronaut Shares Stunning Maha Kumbh Mela Image From Space
NASA astronaut Don Pettit took a picture of the Maha Kumbh Mela from space.
He was aboard the International Space Station when he captured it at night.
The bright lights helped show how huge the festival was.
The event took place in Prayagraj, India.
It is held at the meeting point of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers.
Many Hindu pilgrims visit the festival to bathe in the sacred waters.
They believe the bath can cleanse sins and help free them from the cycle of birth and death.
Pettit called the image his best photograph of the festival.
NASA astronaut Don Pettit shared a nighttime photograph of the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela from the International Space Station.
The festival was held in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, at the Triveni Sangam river confluence.
Pettit captured the brightly illuminated festival grounds using high-powered cameras while orbiting Earth.
He described the photograph as his best shot and said it showed millions of people.
The Maha Kumbh Mela includes sacred river baths and the Shahi Snan, a ceremonial dip involving saints and spiritual leaders.
- Who
- NASA astronaut Don Pettit photographed and shared the image.
- What
- A nighttime photograph showing the large, illuminated grounds of the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela.
- Where
- From the International Space Station, looking toward Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India.
- When
- The photograph was taken during Pettit’s International Space Station mission from September 11, 2024, to April 19, 2025.
- Why
- To capture the scale of the Maha Kumbh Mela, a major Hindu pilgrimage and public gathering.
Key facts
- Event
- 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela
- Location
- Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Photographer
- NASA astronaut Don Pettit
- Viewing location
- International Space Station
- Orbiting speed
- Approximately 28,000 kilometers per hour
- Religious site
- Triveni Sangam, where the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers meet
- Frequency
- The article describes the Maha Kumbh Mela as occurring once every 144 years
Quotes
NASA astronaut Don Pettit
NASA astronaut aboard the International Space Station
“My best shot of the 2025 Prayag Maha Kumbh Mela from ISS. It is a once-in-a-144-year Hindu pilgrimage to sacred riverbanks in India and one of the largest events in the world, with millions of people in this single photo!”
NDTV
Sources
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