‘This little bit of perfection’: Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk on seeing Earth from space

Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk says his first two weeks aboard the International Space Station have been unforgettable as he adjusts to life in microgravity and begins research into the effects of long-term space travel on the human body.

“It’s one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen,” Kutryk said of looking back at Earth from the station.

Growing up in northern Alberta, Kutryk was familiar with the northern lights, but he said seeing them from above offered an entirely different perspective.

“To see the whole Earth, the curvature of the Earth, just embraced by this blanket of dancing fluorescent oranges and yellows and pinks — magical,” he said.

Kutryk, 44, launched Oct. 1 as part of NASA’s four-person Crew 13, arriving at the space station in just under eight hours.