China Manned Space Engineering Office on Wednesday released footage of the Earth taken by the country's Tiangong space station.
The footage was captured by a camera held by an astronaut in the Tianhe core module of the Tiangong space station, showcasing a backdrop of a blue and green planet occasionally obscured by vast clouds.
The Tiangong space station is now crewed by the Shenzhou-21 mission, which comprises three astronauts sent into space on Oct 31, 2025 for a six-month stay.
The Shenzhou-21 crew consists of mission commander Zhang Lu, along with astronauts Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang. The trio serve respectively as space pilot, flight engineer and payload specialist, representing the three categories of Chinese astronauts currently employed in the country's space program.
China's space station captures mesmerizing views of Earth
Since the onset of winter, Lugu Lake, located on the border between southwest China's Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, has offered a picturesque scene where morning mist rises from the lake amid gentle sunlight.
Lugu Lake is renowned for its crystal-clear water and scenic beauty, making it a favorite destination for photographers. In Yanyuan County of Sichuan's Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, the sceneries unfold every morning along with the morning light. A gentle veil of mist rises above the lake, softly wrapping the distant mountains and shoreline like a thin layer of gauze.
As the sun climbs higher, its rays cut through the mist, bathing mountains and water in a warm golden hue. Thousands of red-billed gulls take flight through the haze, skimming the water's surface. Drifting across the lake, visitors become part of the scene, where mist, sunlight and soaring gulls intertwine to create the pure and captivating beauty of Lugu Lake in winter.
Lugu Lake offers enchanting winter scenery at sunrise
