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A panoramic view of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, at night, captured by an American astronaut from space, has garnered online attention, with some Muslims calling it a miracle. In this image, the Kaaba, the holiest site for Muslims, appears as a bright dot in the vastness of space.

The picture has been captured from the International Space Station at an altitude of 400 kilometres. It has amazed Muslims and space enthusiasts.

NASA astronaut Don Pettit shared this image on X. He claimed Mecca's view at night as one of the most beautiful moments of his space journey.

Orbital views of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The bright spot in the centre is the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, visible even from space. pic.twitter.com/yLSOnboOZC

— Don Pettit (@astro_Pettit) December 1, 2025

The light visible in the centre of the image is the Kaaba. Don Pettit was also famous for his passion for photography during his fourth space mission. He saved this view from the ISS's cupola window using a high-resolution Nikon camera.

Pettit shared this image after his recent mission. He returned to Earth after spending 220 days in space.

In the image that he shared, Mecca appears illuminated amidst rugged valleys. The Grand Mosque in the centre and the Kaaba in the middle stand out due to the intensity of the light.

Pettit often shares his photos taken from space on X (formerly Twitter), and this week, he also shared this rare image of Mecca for his followers.

Pettit's image has quickly gone viral since it was shared. Millions of people have seen it on various platforms and are praising the spiritual glow of the Kaaba in the comments.

The Kaaba is a cube-shaped building covered in a black covering called kiswah. It is constantly illuminated by floodlights, the light of which is reflected into space at night. That is why it appears as a bright dot in cameras in space. The light of thousands of lights around Mecca also creates a cluster-like glow.

This image evoked great interest online, with Muslims praising the glory of the holy sight.

NASA  Astronaut Donald Pettit

Some users even alleged it was made with artificial intelligence. However, they explained that the powerful light of the floodlights creates a reflection that goes into space.

Muslims around the world look in the direction of Mecca while praying five times a day. Every year, millions of people arrive in Mecca during the Hajj. There are also a large number of pilgrims throughout the year for Umrah.

Experts also confirmed that such a view is possible thanks to modern satellite technology and special photography skills and equipment.

This image has become a source of interest for fans of scientific research and also has a unique religious significance. This view not only has spiritual value for Muslims, but also shows people around the world how Islamic holy places are highlighted with light and grandeur. This glimpse has a special impact and attraction in itself.

Donald Pettit is an astrophotography expert. He has taken thousands of photos of stars and celestial landscapes.

Last year, he flew with two Russian cosmonauts aboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft. He orbited the Earth 3,520 times during two missions to the International Space Station. During that time, he travelled 9,303 million miles.

During the mission, Pettit conducted many scientific investigations. These included plant growth in low gravity, water purification experiments, and observations of fire behaviour in space. The mission ended safely on the Kazakh Plateau on April 20.

The same day, Pettit turned 70 and became the oldest serving NASA astronaut to return from space.

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According to some reports, the photo was taken while ISS was orbiting Earth in September 2024. Petit presented it to the world after returning to Earth.