Before the Dawn in America’s Heartland

During their flight aboard Commercial Crew Dragon Endeavour, four astronauts experienced an exceptional visual opportunity as they approached Earth. The crew observed extensive illumination across the American Midwest region, characterized by minimal cloud cover at the time. This provided them with a remarkably clear and expansive panorama of city lights stretching across states like Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Mission specialists reported that this visibility was particularly advantageous for conducting observations related to light pollution studies. Data collected during this event will contribute to ongoing research regarding human impact on the environment.