Ever wonder what the Texas Gulf looks like from space? NASA’s got you covered.

You can also see the Texas Hill Country

An astronaut onboard the International Space Station (ISS) took this photo of the Texas Gulf Coast. The field of view is about the same as what astronauts see with their unaided eyes from station windows. (CREDIT: NASA) (Copyright 2021 by KSAT - All rights reserved.)

Have you ever wondered what the Texas Gulf looks like from afar... or more specifically, from space?

Look no further, as NASA has got you covered.

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A NASA astronaut aboard the International Space Station took this photo of the Texas Gulf Coast and shared it to social media on March 24.

What you see is about the same as what astronauts see, without any help from cameras, telescopes or other tools from the station windows.

According to a news release by NASA, the photo centers on Houston, home to the NASA Johnson Space Center, where astronauts live and train.

If you’re from Texas, or are just a big fan, you can see the Texas coast along with narrow barrier islands that create protective bays between the Gulf of Mexico and the mainland.

According to NASA, the photo was taken on Dec. 25, 2020— Christmas Day— with a Nikon D5 digital camera using a 24-millimeter lens and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center.

You can even see parts of the Hill Country in the picture, according to NASA.

“The region marks changes in topography, geology, ecology, and climate from flat and humid coastal wetlands to rocky hills with woodlands— dark green in the image,” NASA said. “The area is known regionally as the Texas Hill Country.”

The image was cropped and digitally enhanced to improve the image’s contrast and the lens artifacts were removed, according to NASA.

The astronaut was a member of the Expedition 64 crew.

You can see other pictures taken by astronauts and cosmonauts by visiting the Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth.

Also on KSAT:

Space Curious: The origin story of the International Space Station

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NASA gives all clear: Earth safe from asteroid for 100 years


About the Author

Jakob Rodriguez is a digital journalist at KSAT 12. He's a graduate of Texas State University, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the student-run newspaper, The University Star.

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