Reddit Mod Deleted Breathtaking Photo Taken by NASA Astronaut From Space Because It Was “Blurry”

NASA Astronaut Don Pettit’s Epic Plane Photo from Space Gets Flagged by Reddit Mods — But the Internet Has Thoughts

In a bizarre twist of online moderation, a jaw-dropping photograph taken from the International Space Station (ISS) by veteran NASA astronaut Don Pettit was briefly removed from Reddit’s r/aviation community for being “too blurry.” The image, snapped on October 20, 2024, shows an airplane cruising at cruising altitude hundreds of miles below the ISS—a perspective so rare it’s practically out of this world.

Pettit, who returned from his 220-day mission in April 2025 on his 70th birthday, is the oldest active astronaut in NASA’s roster. During his fourth trip to space, he captured a series of awe-inspiring images, but this particular shot of an airplane from 250 miles above Earth sparked an unexpected controversy.

The photo, which Pettit shared on Reddit, was flagged by a moderator who deemed it “blurry” and removed it, citing the subreddit’s rules against low-quality images. The decision quickly ignited a heated debate among Reddit users, many of whom were stunned that a photo taken from space could be considered subpar.

“We brought some new people onto the mod team and unfortunately there are some learning curves,” one moderator later admitted, apologizing for the takedown. “I caught the issue and fixed it. Thanks to everyone who let me know that this happened.”

The moderator also directly addressed Pettit, saying, “I’d say the quality of the picture is pretty dang good considering that it’s from about 250 miles away.”

Pettit’s photography portfolio from the ISS is nothing short of extraordinary. From capturing the atmospheric distortion of the Moon to the Milky Way glinting behind Earth at night, his images offer a unique perspective on our planet and the cosmos. He’s even documented the trails left by SpaceX’s Starlink satellites in long-exposure shots.

Reddit users were quick to rally behind Pettit, with one quipping, “Can’t believe I got flexed by someone on ISS.” Another joked, “Tower, can we get a speed check?”—a nod to the ISS’s blistering speed of 17,100 mph compared to a commercial jet’s 500 to 700 mph.

Despite the apology, the incident left a sour taste for many. One user summed it up as “Reddit in a nutshell, baby!”—a jab at the often pedantic nature of niche subreddit moderators. Another sarcastically suggested, “Dear mods, please show NASA how to take better pictures from space so you don’t have to delete them.”

“What a joke,” another user mocked. “One of the most epic pics of aviation from the coolest possible place from an actual astronaut. ‘This post breaks our rules.’ Give me a break, man.”

Pettit’s work continues to inspire awe, proving that even from 250 miles above Earth, the view—and the stories behind it—are worth sharing. As for the Reddit mods, they might want to reconsider their definition of “blurry” when it comes to astrophotography from space.

Tags: NASA, astronaut, Don Pettit, International Space Station, ISS, space photography, aviation, Reddit, viral, controversy, astrophotography, space exploration, Earth from space, Starlink satellites, Milky Way, Moon, atmospheric distortion, learning curve, moderator, apology, epic view, 250 miles, 17,100 mph, commercial jet, speed check, flexing, Reddit in a nutshell, pedantic, joke, awe-inspiring, cosmos, rare perspective, online moderation, heated debate, learning curves, space mission, 70th birthday, oldest active astronaut, orbital outpost, cruising altitude, long exposure, Sun-reflecting satellites, Earth below, stunning picture, blurry photo, low quality, rules, fixed, thanks, directly, portfolio, unique perspective, planet, cosmos, documented, trails, SpaceX, Starlink, satellites, long-exposure shots, rally, quipped, Tower, speed check, blistering speed, commercial jet, sour taste, summed up, jab, pedantic, niche, subreddit, sarcastically, suggested, epic pics, coolest possible place, actual astronaut, breaks our rules, worth sharing, reconsider, definition, blurry, astrophotography, space.

Viral Sentences:

• “Can’t believe I got flexed by someone on ISS.”
• “Tower, can we get a speed check?”
• “Reddit in a nutshell, baby!”
• “Dear mods, please show NASA how to take better pictures from space so you don’t have to delete them.”
• “What a joke. One of the most epic pics of aviation from the coolest possible place from an actual astronaut.”
• “This post breaks our rules. Give me a break, man.”

,