Tweets in space! Astronaut shares photos from space station (photos)

Using NASA's Nikon D3S, astronauts post images of newly retired shuttle Atlantis, Earth, and mission spacewalks via Twitter.

James Martin

July 27, 2011 1:41 p.m. PT

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

Iceberg seen from space

Astronaut Ron Garan, known on Twitter as @Astro_Ron, has been sharing his unique view with tens of thousands of space fans.

Garan has been photographing Earth, Space Shuttle Atlantis, and his team's spacewalks from his home aboard the International Space Station, where he currently resides as a member of Expedition 27.

In 2009, NASA placed an order for 11 D3S digital SLR cameras with F-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lenses to be used for photographic documentation in space, according to Nikon. NASA has reportedly used Nikon equipment since the early 1970s, and, to date, has taken more than 700,000 photographs using Nikon equipment.

This most recent image from Garan's Twitter feed is a view from the ISS showing a lone iceberg floating in the ocean in the lower right corner of the image.

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

My new favorite Shuttle px

Over the last few weeks, many of the astronaut's pictures have focused on Space Shuttle Atlantis as it made its final visit to the space station. @Astro_Ron tweeted this picture of Atlantis over Sandy Point in the Bahamas in mid-July, calling it "My new favorite Shuttle px."

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

Final flyaround of the ISS

Here, the Space Shuttle Atlantis is seen during its final flyaround of the ISS before returning to Earth on July 19.

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

Atlantis' last mission

As Atlantis ends the final mission of NASA's space shuttle program, @Astro_Ron captured this parting image and tweeted: "The last view #FromSpace of Shuttle #Atlantis taken today (7/19/11) from Sergei's #ISS bedroom window".

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

Standing on top of the world!

@Astro_Ron tweets "Standing On Top of the World! Px @Astro_Aggie took of me yesterday during our spacewalk Nice view of Persian Gulf."

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

1 foot in day, 1 foot in night

@Astro_Ron says, "I almost had 1 foot in day and 1 foot in night" during this orbital sunset spacewalk picture taken by @Astro_Aggie during an STS-135 spacewalk.

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

Knocking on the space station door

"Knocking on the door to come back in #FromSpace after yesterday's spacewalk."

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NASA/@Astro_Doug

@AstroRon during a spacewalk

@Astro_Ron is seen here during a photograph of his spacewalk on July 13.

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NASA/@AstroRon

A lonely iceberg in the Labrador Sea

@Astro_Ron tweeted this image on July 26, saying "a lonely iceberg in the Labrador Sea off Petty Harbour. It's bigger than my hometown of #Yonkers #NY."

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

Mount Ararat from space

The 5,137-meter tall, snow-capped peak of Mount Ararat, a dormant volcano, is seen in this image taken from the ISS on July 26.

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

Strait of Gibraltar from space

Linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, the Strait of Gibraltar connects Spain (top) with Morocco (bottom).

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

Smoke from fires

Smoke from fires is seen streaming across Southern Africa on July 23.

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

Lukanga Swamp in Zambia

From the ISS on July 23, we see a view of Africa, with Lukanga Swamp in Zambia seen as a big white spot, reflecting the Earth's sky.

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

Pico de Cristobol Colon

The snow-capped 5,700-meter Pico de Cristobol Colon, the highest mountain in Colombia, peaks through the clouds along Colombia's Caribbean coast in this image captured from the ISS on July 9.

The view from Atlantis' seven-window cupola

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

The view from Atlantis' seven-window cupola

This view from the ISS' seven-window cupola viewing dome shows Atlantis backdropped by Earth's French and Italian Rivieras, including Corsica and Sardinia.

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

Sicily's Mt. Etna is seen smoking

In this June 23 photo from the space station, Sicily's Mt. Etna is seen smoking following its latest eruption on May 11.

Quoting the U2 song 'All Because of You'

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

Quoting the U2 song 'All Because of You'

Quoting the U2 song "All Because of You," @Astro_Ron posted this picture from space alongside the lyrics "I saw you in the curve of the moon in the shadow cast across my room," on June 24.

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

Mt. Etna from space

@Astro_Ron tweets, "Another shot #FromSpace of Mt. Etna today (4:25 pm GMT 6/23/11) as a Russian cargo spacecraft was docking."

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NASA/@Astro_Ron

Earth from space

Via @Astro_Ron aboard the ISS, "Today our @FragileOasis looked beautiful #FromSpace beneath the beauty: unfortunate reality of life on African Horn (taken 7/24/11 @ 10:44am GMT)".