Feb. 19, 2026, 12:59 p.m. ET
- The fireworks were part of the Lunar New Year festivities celebrating the Year of the Horse.
- Astronaut Chris Williams shared the video on social media from 260 miles above Earth.
- “I was fortunate to be looking out of the Cupola while we were passing over Beijing, and saw the twinkling of fireworks celebrating the Lunar New Year!” Williams said on social media.
What do fireworks look like from outer space? A NASA astronaut recently caught a glimpse of an explosive light show from the vantage of the International Space Station.
Chris Williams, who has been stationed aboard the 25-year-old orbital outpost since the end of November, even managed to capture a dazzling video of the display.
The fireworks were part of Lunar New Year festivities in China as billions of people around the world have begun celebrating the 15-day festival. Tied heavily to the moon’s phases, the Lunar New Year has commenced this week as adherents usher in the Year of the Horse with a variety of cultural traditions.
Here’s a look at the fireworks Williams’ captured from the space station.
What is the International Space Station?
The International Space Station has been stationed in low-Earth orbit for more than 25 years, where it has been home to astronauts from all over the world. Throughout its lifespan, the station has served as a test bed for scientific research in microgravity and has in years past opened itself up to private commercial missions.
The orbital laboratory is operated through a global partnership of space agencies, including NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
More than 290 spacefarers from 26 countries have visited the International Space Station, including 170 from the United States alone, according to NASA.
NASA astronaut captures Lunar New Year fireworks over China
NASA astronaut Chris Williams captured the sight of fireworks as seen from 260 miles above Earth as the International Space Station passed over China, where residents are celebrating the Lunar New Year.
“Happy Year of the Horse! I was fortunate to be looking out of the Cupola while we were passing over Beijing, and saw the twinkling of fireworks celebrating the Lunar New Year!” Williams said Wednesday, Feb. 18, on social media.
The video elicited plenty of enthusiastic reactions on social media, including from Williams’ fellow astronauts.
“Duuuuude! You are officially 🐐 for orbital fireworks imagery,” NASA astronaut Zena Cardman replied on Instagram, sharing an emoji of a goat in reference to the popular slang acronym for “greatest of all time. Cardman’s time aboard the space station recently overlapped with Williams’ mission before she departed in mid-January with her fellow Crew-11 astronauts.
NASA astronaut Anne McClain, who was at the space station between March and August 2025 as part of Crew-10, said in a reply on X, “BEAUTIFUL!! It is not easy to capture an image with such clarity and balance of color. You’re a pro.”
When does the Lunar New Year start in 2026?
The Lunar New Year in 2026 began Tuesday, Feb. 17, and will last until the Lantern Festival on March 3, the date of the next full moon.
Though also referred to as Chinese New Year, the international holiday is one many other Asian countries also recognize and celebrate.
The Lunar New Year, which marks the transition from one animal to another each year, will end the Year of the Snake and usher in the Year of the Horse.
What astronauts are on the International Space Station?
Williams is among seven astronauts who are part of Expedition 74 now living and working about the International Space Station.
Williams and Russians Sergey Mikaev and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov arrived at the end of November on a Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft.
The most recent arrivals were spacefarers who are part of a mission known as Crew-12. A joint venture between NASA and SpaceX, Crew-12 – including NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, the European Space Agency’s Sophie Adenot and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev – arrived Feb. 14 at the ISS for a nine-month stay.
Contributing: Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
