Astronauts on the International Space Station were not only treated to a sight from Earth's atmosphere recently but also caught a glimpse of one of the Milky Way's nearest galactic neighbors.

While Earth celebrated 2026 with fireworks below, the year’s first sunrise quietly appeared above the planet, captured from the International Space Station and shared by a former astronaut online globally.

Photos shared by NASA show what life looked like 250 miles above Earth in 2025, including images of hurricanes, the northern lights, and city streets.

Video showing a meteoroid entering Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrating, as captured by NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick from the International Space Station. The sequence highlights the brief luminous phase of atmospheric entry seen from orbit.