Delhi To Sao Paulo: International Space Station Shares Stunning Night Images Of World’s Brightest Cities

The International Space Station (ISS) has shared a series of nighttime images on X depicting major cities illuminated at night. These images have captured the unique glow of four of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, including Delhi, at night. As seen from the images, India’s capital city stands out with its bright lights forming a complex and striking pattern across the cityscape.

"Cities like Delhi, Singapore, Tokyo, and Sao Paulo are among the most luminous urban centres seen from the International Space Station at night," the ISS said.

The description of Delhi's image read, "India's National Capital Territory of Delhi, home to approximately 34.67 million people, is the second-largest metropolitan area in the world after Tokyo."

"This nighttime view from the International Space Station, taken at approximately 10:54 p.m. local time, shows the city split by the Yamuna River. The bright rectangular area near the right centre marks Indira Gandhi International Airport, one of the busiest aviation hubs in South Asia," the ISS added.

The space station posted an image showing Singapore, the Southeast Asian city-state, separated from Johor Bahru in Malaysia by the Johor Strait. Another photograph features Japan, along with its suburbs bordering Tokyo Bay, offering a detailed view of the region from space.

The spectacular nighttime images of these cities generated a buzz on social media.

"Delhi is still luminous with all that pollution?" wrote one user.

Another wrote, "I can even point my road in Delhi map. It's so beautiful."

"The first one is Delhi, I can clearly spot it," said a user.

On Nov. 2, the International Space Station (ISS) commemorated a significant milestone, celebrating 25 years of continuous human presence in it. The ISS was constructed with contributions from the United States, Canada, Japan and European partners, symbolising an extraordinary international collaboration in space exploration. The station has been continuously inhabited since November 2000.

Since its inaugural mission, the station has welcomed almost 300 visitors from 26 different nations and has facilitated thousands of scientific experiments designed to enhance life on Earth and support future missions to the Moon and Mars.