The internet has gone bananas for a bunch of photos of Israel on Christmas morning—taken from space. The six photographs, which are jointly credited to astronaut Barry Wilmore and NASA, were uploaded to the International Space Station’s Facebook page on December 26—and they’re pretty stunning.
“Israel – completely clear – on Christmas morning from the International Space Station,” reads the accompanying caption. “Astronaut Barry Wilmore woke up early on Christmas to reflect upon the beauty of the Earth and snap some images to share with the world.”
So far the album has been liked 32,000 times, and shared over 6,000 times. It’s no Gangnam Style, sure, but compared to the ISS’s previous Facebook post (Christmas night in Nashville) and following post (a weekly video update), it’s a runaway success.
But did the beauty of the Holy Land, the Glory of Science, and the Birth of Christ quell the hot tempers of the internet commentariat? Alas, no. The comment thread quickly devolved into a vitriolic propaganda fest, because internet. On Facebook, as in space, no-one can hear you scream.
Anyway—enjoy the photos and happy holidays!
(Photos: NASA/Barry Wilmore)