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Don Pettit

@astro_Pettit • 117,815 subscribers

NASA Astronaut. Photographer. Scientist. Inventor.

Shorts

Dragon cargo number 31 undocked yesterday and returned to planet Earth carrying the spoils from our research.

Dragon cargo number 31 undocked yesterday and returned to planet Earth carrying the spoils from our research.

29,221,425 views

Aurora watching into an orbital dawn. This never gets old!

Aurora watching into an orbital dawn. This never gets old!

314,076 views

My best sighting of a Starlink satellite "train" from orbit!

My best sighting of a Starlink satellite "train" from orbit!

1,954,503 views

Cosmic fireflies. Actually, these are Starlink satellites momentarily flashing sunlight towards International Space Station.

Cosmic fireflies. Actually, these are Starlink satellites momentarily flashing sunlight towards International Space Station.

4,164,005 views

Crew 10 Dragon vehicle arriving!

Sensitive content

Crew 10 Dragon vehicle arriving!

3,303,487 views

OK; you all asked if this was possible…..

OK; you all asked if this was possible…..

1,027,834 views

How to change a camera lens……

How to change a camera lens……

812,027 views

How to change your camera battery in weightlessness.

How to change your camera battery in weightlessness.

245,511 views

Gibraltar to Italy. Nothing like learning your geography, not from an atlas but from looking at the real thing.

Gibraltar to Italy. Nothing like learning your geography, not from an atlas but from looking at the real thing.

759,588 views

Homework problem for engineers, physics students, and various Uber-Geeks: The bright metal object in my hands is a 373.3kg (821.2 lbm) counter weight on @space_station. The facing side is 22.2cm (8.75 inches) wide. Calculate my mass. Post answers in questions.

Homework problem for engineers, physics students, and various Uber-Geeks: The bright metal object in my hands is a 373.3kg (821.2 lbm) counter weight on @space_station. The facing side is 22.2cm (8.75 inches) wide. Calculate my mass. Post answers in questions.

673,911 views

Green vaporous turbulence; tonight’s show of aurora from International Space Station

Green vaporous turbulence; tonight’s show of aurora from International Space Station

537,786 views

How to dispense pistachios when on orbit

How to dispense pistachios when on orbit

476,147 views

Mother Earth, I am coming home.

Mother Earth, I am coming home.

298,098 views

An orbital sunrise with comet C/2023.

An orbital sunrise with comet C/2023.

132,144 views

Aurora seen today from International Space Station while orbit was passing between Australia and Antartrica; photographer Jannicke Mikkelsen now on the private FRAM2 space mission will be having an even better view in their polar orbit.

Aurora seen today from International Space Station while orbit was passing between Australia and Antartrica; photographer Jannicke Mikkelsen now on the private FRAM2 space mission will be having an even better view in their polar orbit.

241,507 views

In the absence of gravity, electrostatic forces can induce semi-stable orbital motion between charged bodies. Using a homemade Van Der Graff generator to charge droplets with opposite polarity to a statically charged rod create these crazy orbits!

In the absence of gravity, electrostatic forces can induce semi-stable orbital motion between charged bodies. Using a homemade Van Der Graff generator to charge droplets with opposite polarity to a statically charged rod create these crazy orbits!

60,210 views

Here is a movie clip (processed by Babak- big thanks) sequentially adding the star trail still frames creating orbital motion.

Here is a movie clip (processed by Babak- big thanks) sequentially adding the star trail still frames creating orbital motion.

208,927 views

Whenever you see the ISS from Earth, WE aboard the ISS cannot see you! When ISS is exposed in sunlight, our window reflectivity blinds us! We can only see you when you cannot see us! Same effect as how you cannot see through your kitchen window at night when the lights are on!

Whenever you see the ISS from Earth, WE aboard the ISS cannot see you! When ISS is exposed in sunlight, our window reflectivity blinds us! We can only see you when you cannot see us! Same effect as how you cannot see through your kitchen window at night when the lights are on!

122,455 views

Something for your inner Uber-Geek; capillary rise in a 10mm diameter drinking straw.

Something for your inner Uber-Geek; capillary rise in a 10mm diameter drinking straw.

170,846 views

Formation flying; Starlink satellites tracing parallel lines in the sky. Thanks to Babak Tafreshi for assembling this clip from timelapse images.

Formation flying; Starlink satellites tracing parallel lines in the sky. Thanks to Babak Tafreshi for assembling this clip from timelapse images.

132,627 views

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Dragon orbiting across Europe into Asia.
0:27
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Dragon orbiting across Europe into Asia.

Don Pettit

64,095,332 views • 9 months ago

In weightlessness, water can take forms that are not possible under normal gravitational conditions. One example being thin sheets, 500 microns thick, formed in a wire loop like in a soap film but here as pure water with no surfactant.
0:35
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In weightlessness, water can take forms that are not possible under normal gravitational conditions. One example being thin sheets, 500 microns thick, formed in a wire loop like in a soap film but here as pure water with no surfactant.

Don Pettit

867,716 views • 29 days ago

A new spin on orbital video.
0:22
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A new spin on orbital video.

Don Pettit

4,632,531 views • 1 year ago

Spacewalking! The movie 2001 is one of my favorites, I had to try this as a 2025 tribute.
0:41
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Spacewalking! The movie 2001 is one of my favorites, I had to try this as a 2025 tribute.

Don Pettit

2,054,374 views • 11 months ago

The "Dzhanibekov effect", seen in a rotating object where it will flip its axis by 180 degrees, is demonstrated in microgravity with our camera.
0:23
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The "Dzhanibekov effect", seen in a rotating object where it will flip its axis by 180 degrees, is demonstrated in microgravity with our camera.

Don Pettit

933,430 views • 6 months ago

Having an Uber Geek moment on orbit; I took a Teflon knitting needle and got charged water drops to orbit around it.
0:35
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Having an Uber Geek moment on orbit; I took a Teflon knitting needle and got charged water drops to orbit around it.

Don Pettit

1,145,706 views • 1 year ago

How to make planet Jupiter: 1) be on the International Space Station 2) make a thin film sphere of water 3) add food coloring 4) blow on the edge to create swirls This is way cool!
0:37
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How to make planet Jupiter: 1) be on the International Space Station 2) make a thin film sphere of water 3) add food coloring 4) blow on the edge to create swirls This is way cool!

Don Pettit

215,213 views • 2 months ago

This was so fascinating. I had a teflon knitting needle on ishaan and charged it by rubbing with my Russian fur boots. Then I directed water droplets from a syringe towards the charged knitting needle and this is the resulting dynamics. The droplets, due to charge forces, go into a crazy orbit around the knitting needle. If planets were cylindrical this would be the orbit of its moons due to gravity. Canon G1 video camera, Expedition 30, 2012.
0:26
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This was so fascinating. I had a teflon knitting needle on ishaan and charged it by rubbing with my Russian fur boots. Then I directed water droplets from a syringe towards the charged knitting needle and this is the resulting dynamics. The droplets, due to charge forces, go into a crazy orbit around the knitting needle. If planets were cylindrical this would be the orbit of its moons due to gravity. Canon G1 video camera, Expedition 30, 2012.

Don Pettit

810,485 views • 1 year ago

In the weightlessness on International Space Station I placed a sphere of water with an air bubble on a speaker cone, then drove it with acoustical waves from the speaker. This created a series of standing nodes and anti-nodes that responded to the frequency and amplitude. A zero gravity Lava Lamp! Will post what happens when I drove this with some of my favorite rock and roll! From Expedition 31, 2012.
1:02
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In the weightlessness on International Space Station I placed a sphere of water with an air bubble on a speaker cone, then drove it with acoustical waves from the speaker. This created a series of standing nodes and anti-nodes that responded to the frequency and amplitude. A zero gravity Lava Lamp! Will post what happens when I drove this with some of my favorite rock and roll! From Expedition 31, 2012.

Don Pettit

876,353 views • 2 years ago

I am not the best "Yo-Yoer" on Earth. But in space, I have no competition!
0:22
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I am not the best "Yo-Yoer" on Earth. But in space, I have no competition!

Don Pettit

93,941 views • 3 months ago

Hello Mother Earth
0:21
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Hello Mother Earth

Don Pettit

288,343 views • 1 year ago

Orbital motion of the ISS, visualized by sequentially adding the still frames of my star trails. Seen are stacking golden streaks of city lights and straight-line stars in our orbital direction. A surreal perspective of our Earth!
0:22
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Orbital motion of the ISS, visualized by sequentially adding the still frames of my star trails. Seen are stacking golden streaks of city lights and straight-line stars in our orbital direction. A surreal perspective of our Earth!

Don Pettit

108,537 views • 4 months ago

Orbital star trails showing satellites flashing white marks into the time history of arcing stars. When viewed up close, they remind me of scratches on a vinyl record!
0:26
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Orbital star trails showing satellites flashing white marks into the time history of arcing stars. When viewed up close, they remind me of scratches on a vinyl record!

Don Pettit

81,109 views • 3 months ago

Free flying propeller on ISS. Video is running at real speed. In weightlessness the propeller can slowly move through the cabin atmosphere.
0:22
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Free flying propeller on ISS. Video is running at real speed. In weightlessness the propeller can slowly move through the cabin atmosphere.

Don Pettit

150,099 views • 11 months ago

This is how I make my star trails. Sequences of still images assembled until the beauty of Earth from International Space Station reshapes into a new form by the forces of time, nature, and physics. Thanks to Christopher Malin for making this video clip from my Expedition 30 photographs.
0:36
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This is how I make my star trails. Sequences of still images assembled until the beauty of Earth from International Space Station reshapes into a new form by the forces of time, nature, and physics. Thanks to Christopher Malin for making this video clip from my Expedition 30 photographs.

Don Pettit

299,796 views • 2 years ago

“Two Steppin on the Moon”; Country Western singer Josh Turner Josh Turner visited Houston Mission Control and sang us this song. Suni Williams and I decided to give it a try while Butch Wilmore filmed the effort. Here is “Two Steppin in Space”. Big thanks to Josh Turner and Renee Behrman (his manager) for letting us use his music.
3:05
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“Two Steppin on the Moon”; Country Western singer Josh Turner Josh Turner visited Houston Mission Control and sang us this song. Suni Williams and I decided to give it a try while Butch Wilmore filmed the effort. Here is “Two Steppin in Space”. Big thanks to Josh Turner and Renee Behrman (his manager) for letting us use his music.

Don Pettit

149,197 views • 1 year ago

Close Encounter but not of the third kind; Longer version of Crew 10 docking to International Space Station
0:27
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Close Encounter but not of the third kind; Longer version of Crew 10 docking to International Space Station

Don Pettit

153,515 views • 1 year ago

Changes in attitude, changes in latitude: International Space Station We rotated 180 degrees and flew backwards for yesterday’s Soyuz docking. This is a bit long but keep watching for the surprise in the middle.
0:49
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Changes in attitude, changes in latitude: International Space Station We rotated 180 degrees and flew backwards for yesterday’s Soyuz docking. This is a bit long but keep watching for the surprise in the middle.

Don Pettit

143,189 views • 1 year ago

Orbiting the Mediterranean, from Europe into Africa. So much human history to see in the lights!
0:37
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Orbiting the Mediterranean, from Europe into Africa. So much human history to see in the lights!

Don Pettit

67,895 views • 6 months ago