Its outline is instantly recognisable, but the image is all the more remarkable given its context.
Hazza Al Mansouri, the UAE's first astronaut, has shared a picture of the Emirates taken from the International Space Station.
"From the happiest astronaut to the happiest nation...this is history, this is the UAE from space," he tweeted on Tuesday evening.
From the happiest astronaut to the happiest nation...this is history, this is the UAE from space. pic.twitter.com/Ha7pTpJpOA
— Hazzaa AlMansoori (@astro_hazzaa) October 1, 2019
The clear skies over the UAE and surrounding nations make it easy to see the desert land mass of the Middle East and the blue waters of the Arabian Gulf, with just a few areas of cloud covering the mountainous regions.
While the islands of Abu Dhabi are clearly visible, Dubai's Palm Jumeirah can be spotted with a little help from the zoom button.
Suhail, my friend in this mission aboard the International Space Station. pic.twitter.com/x71RY9w2pC
— Hazzaa AlMansoori (@astro_hazzaa) October 1, 2019
Taking the picture may have been a challenge for Maj Al Mansouri given that the ISS travels at more than 7km per second, although as it orbits the Earth every 90 minutes, he should had a few windows of opportunity.
Earlier in the day, he was pictured looking at home at the space station wearing an Emirati kandura as he shared the UAE's culture with the eight other astronauts on board.
Hazzaa AlMansoori in his traditional attire with other astronauts aboard the International Space Station. pic.twitter.com/uOTvLVAAxG
— MBR Space Centre (@MBRSpaceCentre) October 1, 2019
The 34-year-old will return to Earth on Thursday when he is due to land at one of three sites in Kazakhstan at about 4pm UAE time.
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Blast off - Hazza Al Mansouri heads into space
