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VIDEO: Ever wonder how Chris Hadfield takes his photos from space?

We’re getting towards the end of Commander Hadfield’s six months in space. Here’s how he’s been taking his snaps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFp9pndbSKM

(YouTube: canadianspaceagency)

Updated, 15:05

AS WE’VE ALREADY pointed out on these pages, you’ll surely have noticed by now that we’re pretty big fans of Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield  here in Journal Towers.

Hadfield has probably enjoyed a profile higher than any other crew member on board the International Space Station – thanks in large part to his active presence on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube where he posts clips explaining his extra-terrestrial life.

The undoubted highlights have been his regular photos of space – where Ireland has been lucky enough to feature on many occasions.

Hadfield uses his own Twitter account to send tweets using the ISS’s limited internet capability, while his son Evan helps distribute the content to other social media networks and helps to keep track of the masses of questions submitted by users around the world.

In what’ll be one of his last videos from Space – he’ll be returning to Earth later this month – Hadfield goes through the equipment he uses for his iconic snaps, and the unique challenges of taking a photo from space.

Read: Did you know you can see these things from space?

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38 Comments
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    Mute tk0CXKzL
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    May 3rd 2013, 11:03 AM

    These should be the real celebrities that people look up to. Instead of admiring some idiot who’s famous for nothing. Col. Chris Hadfield…a legend!

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    Mute Sarah Sue
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    May 3rd 2013, 11:09 AM

    Totally agree Eric! Iv really enjoyed his photos!

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    Mute tk0CXKzL
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    May 3rd 2013, 11:59 AM

    Ye he’s really class. A stroke of genuis having the guy connect with people on FB and Twitter. Hopefully it’ll get more people interested in Space and science.

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    Mute Leslie Alan Rock
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    May 3rd 2013, 11:11 AM

    We should get him for grand Marshall of the paddys day parade

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    Mute OU812
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    May 3rd 2013, 11:34 AM

    Great idea. Someone call the organisers.

    Journal – start a campaign!

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    Mute Leslie Alan Rock
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    May 3rd 2013, 12:16 PM

    May I get some credit if he does!

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    Mute Graham Kavanagh
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    May 3rd 2013, 12:38 PM

    The man makes us realise we are just passengers on the Earth, awesome stuff….

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    Mute Paula Cremin
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    May 3rd 2013, 5:03 PM

    Hey! Don’t you be taking the honour away from some retired backing dancer. They have needs too!

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    Mute Tom Brennan
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    May 3rd 2013, 11:08 AM

    His daughter apparently studies in Trinity, hence a lot of stunning photos that includes Ireland…

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    Mute Damien
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    May 3rd 2013, 2:16 PM

    He posted a photo the other day of his daughter giving a talk to young school children in Roscrea where the kids were dressed in home made space suits and one wore chris’ mustache. So cute :-)

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    Mute big shmoke
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    May 3rd 2013, 11:28 AM

    Chris Hadfield has done more to raise the profile of scientific study than most, it’s a pity his work isn’t used to make education more interesting for kids. I hated sciences in school because it was as boring as watching paint dry! Now many years later I love reading about science & regret not taking an interest when I was in school.

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    Mute Jack Bauer
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    May 3rd 2013, 10:57 AM

    The man is a legend

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    Mute Eóin Curran
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    May 3rd 2013, 11:12 AM

    He clearly isn’t using Eircom for his broadband, can’t even get online in Dublin! Great photos though chris!

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    Mute Ted Power
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    May 3rd 2013, 10:48 AM

    That’s class!

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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    May 3rd 2013, 10:54 AM

    He’s class.

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    Mute Eamonn Bolger
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    May 3rd 2013, 12:17 PM

    Absolutely incredible. Legend. Really knows what he is at and has great photography skills.

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    Mute Evan Hadfield
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    May 3rd 2013, 2:58 PM

    This article states an incorrect point. “Hadfield’s son Evan – who manages the astronaut’s social media profiles – has been posting the photos, sent back to earth from his father hovering beyond the atmosphere.”

    What I do is move the items to Facebook and Google+ (as well as his other sites), as well as watching over his twitter shoulder and helping to plan upcoming events. But it is his twitter account that he is posting on, not mine. I post on my own account (@evan_hadfield), and you can see me answer his followers that way.

    Please edit the article accordingly.

    Cheers,
    Evan

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    Mute Katie Does
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    May 3rd 2013, 3:03 PM

    Tell him thanks from all of us, it’s been a complete and utter joy seeing his posts on Twitter and elsewhere. And thanks to you too for your part in it all. What a Dad you have!

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    Mute hjGfIgAq
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    May 3rd 2013, 3:13 PM

    (Evan has emailed me personally to ask about this and I’ve made a correction to the piece – but for posterity, here’s the response…)

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    Mute Evan Hadfield
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    May 3rd 2013, 10:47 PM

    Thank you Gavan! Most appreciated. :)

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    Mute OU812
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    May 3rd 2013, 11:15 AM

    Damn I love that guy.

    I hope the science channel recruit him.

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    Mute Max Power
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    May 3rd 2013, 12:19 PM

    Col. Hadfield is single handedly reviving the publics interest in space and space exploration. Absolute hero.

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    Mute mcgoo
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    May 3rd 2013, 10:58 AM

    Nice fella and a great worker

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    Mute eoghan Ryan
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    May 3rd 2013, 11:16 AM

    Love following him on twitter he’s so cool

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    Mute Bluechip78
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    May 3rd 2013, 12:30 PM

    I was hoping he might be over Ireland again soon and we could get a big Hello Chris written on Dollymount

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    Mute Ciara Scully
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    May 3rd 2013, 11:14 PM

    You can see when he’s over Ireland here: http://iss.astroviewer.net/observation.php

    The sign would want to be massive though. He was saying the other day he’s having trouble seeing the great wall of China.

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    Mute shadow75
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    May 3rd 2013, 12:45 PM

    Gonna miss his posts when he’s back on earth

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    Mute Mick Walsh
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    May 3rd 2013, 4:03 PM

    As people have pointed out, his pics are amazing and they show how we don’t own this planet but share it with nature. What worries me is that we have had a glimpse of how good twitter can be, when Chris returns to earth next week, will twitter be once more returned to pointless pseudo celebrities tweeting they are going to the gym and other such meaningless shite.
    100% agree with the lady who suggested he be the Grand Marshall of the parade.

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    May 3rd 2013, 11:52 AM

    @ big smoke. So true. Most of what little I know of science I learned after I left school by reading, watching TV (the OU on BBC) and later Discovery et al.

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    Mute Tom Keating
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    May 3rd 2013, 11:19 AM

    Cool

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    Mute Shane Ellis
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    May 3rd 2013, 2:30 PM

    Chris Hadfield and Brian Cox should have a baby together.

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    Mute Cpm
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    May 3rd 2013, 12:28 PM

    He seems to be having great craic up there

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    Mute Anna Higgins
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    May 3rd 2013, 1:20 PM

    Going to miss his posts once he’s back

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    Mute Robespierre
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    May 3rd 2013, 1:59 PM

    He’s following a well trodden path actually. The likes of the great Jim Lovell (the guy Hanks played in Apollo 13) has done similar for years in America spreading the gospel of science, maths and the pursuit of knowledge.

    The difference is the immediacy of twitter etc which Lovell and other greats of the space programme were unable to avail of.

    NASA has always had to fight for its funding for obvious reasons. There is a good episode of the West Wing dealing with the moral quandary of spending of space programmes when 30% of the population are functionally illiterate etc.

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    Mute Lillian O'Connor
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    May 3rd 2013, 5:46 PM

    Wow this was just brilliant. Thank you Mr Genius.

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    Mute Dmc
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    May 13th 2013, 7:09 PM

    Brilliant. Love photography.

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    Mute Maria Clery-Breen
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    May 10th 2013, 5:32 PM

    Just loving following the Space station

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    May 3rd 2013, 10:00 PM

    That camera and lens are the business! We’ll miss you when you come back to earth. Thanks for the wonderful pictures and for making science so interesting.

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