"US photographer snaps ISS crossing Sun in 'once-in-lifetime' shot"

ISS Crosses the Sun Amid Solar Flare in Rare Spectacle Captured by US Photographer

In a breathtaking moment of cosmic coincidence, a US-based photographer captured the International Space Station (ISS) transiting the Sun at the exact moment a solar flare erupted from a sunspot group — creating an extraordinary and rare celestial spectacle.

The photographer shared the stunning stills and a short video of the ISS zooming past the glowing solar surface on Instagram. Calling it a "once-in-a-lifetime shot," he revealed that the image was taken after waiting patiently for the precise alignment — made even more dramatic by the unexpected solar activity.

“While waiting for the ISS to transit the sun, a sunspot group started flaring, leading to this once-in-a-lifetime shot,” he wrote. “This is the most detailed solar transit photo I’ve ever taken.”

The image will be made available as a limited edition print in two formats: one as a close-up of the moment itself, and another as a wide-angle panorama showcasing the ISS’s minuscule silhouette against the massive sun — emphasizing the vastness of space. The artist titled the piece “Kardashev Dreams”, referencing humanity’s aspirational journey toward becoming a space-faring civilization.

He noted the meticulous effort in preparing the photo for print, examining every detail to ensure top quality. “This is easily one of my favorite images because of the sheer rarity — capturing both an ISS transit and a solar flare in a single frame.”

The ISS: Humanity's Orbital Laboratory

The International Space Station (ISS) is a symbol of global scientific collaboration, bringing together astronauts, engineers, and researchers from across the world. Operating as a state-of-the-art microgravity laboratory, it enables experiments in fields ranging from medicine to material science — benefiting life on Earth and paving the way for future deep space exploration.

The program was greenlit by US President Ronald Reagan in 1984, and has since grown into an international partnership involving the US, Russia, Canada, Japan, and multiple European countries. Construction began in the late 1980s, and since its first crewed mission in 2000, the ISS has evolved into a high-tech research hub in low-Earth orbit.

Now in its third decade of continuous human presence, the ISS remains central to scientific breakthroughs, international cooperation, and preparing humanity for missions to the Moon and Mars.

India’s Presence on the ISS: A Proud Milestone

India marked a historic milestone with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is currently aboard the ISS as the Mission Pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). Shukla launched on June 25 aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Piloting the Dragon spacecraft, he led a successful automated docking with the ISS’s Harmony module at 4:05 PM IST on June 26, ahead of schedule. Upon arrival, Shukla and his Ax-4 crewmates were welcomed by the seven-member Expedition 73 team and given a safety briefing.

The Ax-4 mission features a diverse crew: NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, ESA astronauts Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), and India’s very own Group Captain Shukla. The crew is expected to remain aboard the ISS for up to 14 days, participating in scientific research, outreach programs, and international collaboration initiatives.

As humanity inches closer to interplanetary exploration, the simultaneous marvel of a solar flare and an ISS transit serves as a powerful reminder of our place in the cosmos — and the remarkable progress being made, both on Earth and above it.