A breathtaking image of the Polaris Dawn capsule's reentry into Earth's atmosphere has been transmitted from space. NASA astronaut Don Pettit captured this dramatic moment as the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft returned to Earth before dawn on Sunday, September 15, marking the end of Polaris Dawn’s mission.

Pettit, who observed the reentry from the International Space Station (ISS), shared the photograph on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting the vivid multi-colored entry trail over Florida and the recognizable cone shape of the Dragon capsule.

Pettit, who began his fourth space mission on September 11, is celebrated for his striking images of star trails and other celestial phenomena. He took this particular shot from the ISS’s cupola, a panoramic window that offers a view of Earth.

In a pre-launch interview with Space.com, Pettit expressed enthusiasm about new lenses on the ISS designed for nighttime photography. "I’m eager to enhance nighttime imagery once we’re back on station," he said.

Fellow NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick shared his excitement about Pettit’s work, noting on X, "We all crowded into the cupola to watch Polaris Dawn’s return. It was incredible to see Don make this shot happen with us all squeezed in there. Actually, having everyone packed in might have helped stabilize his shot!"

Polaris Dawn, funded by billionaire Jared Isaacman, launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on September 10. The mission concluded after five days in space, with Isaacman, who also commanded SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission in 2021, leading this venture. Alongside Isaacman were mission pilot Scott "Kidd" Poteet, and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.

The mission not only featured the first commercial spacewalk by Isaacman and Gillis but also reached a peak altitude of 870 miles (1,400 km) from Earth, the highest since Apollo 17’s lunar mission in 1972.