Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev has filmed a stunning video of the moon “vanishing” mysteriously behind the Earth during moonset, as seen from the International Space Station (ISS).
The short video filmed by the cosmonaut, who is currently aboard the ISS, was published on social media earlier this week. It provides a fresh perspective of the Earth’s only natural satellite, which appears fast and agile rather than slow, as seen from Earth.
“The Moon is setting. It’s like the heartbeat,” Artemyev says while filming the rapidly moving satellite. “Now a little more and it will reach the atmosphere.”
The satellite “touches” the Earth’s atmosphere and then mysteriously “vanishes” without actually reaching its edge. The phenomenon of the “disappearing” moon can only be observed from low Earth orbit.
Artemyev said that the video speed was not altered and represented the real-time speed of the moon, as observed from the ISS. The moon actually appears to be so fast since the ISS itself travels at 7.66 km/s (17,135mph).
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!