Astronaut's space pics really take off

Published Wednesday, 13 March 2013
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A Canadian astronaut, with family in the Republic of Ireland, has seen the number of followers on his Twitter account rocket past 500,000 - just as he takes charge of the International Space Station.

Astronaut's space pics really take off
Commander Chris Hadfield has been tweeting incredible pictures from space. (© Chris Hadfield)

Commander Chris Hadfield has been entertaining the masses with his quirky tweets from outer space, which include stunning pictures of locations around the world.

From Japan's Mount Fuji "dressed in winter white" to Italy's Mount Eta "spitting fire", the astronaut and his poetic take on global landmarks have captivated followers back on Earth.


Even Belfast and Dublin have been captured on camera - as have the likes of Washington DC, Brussels, Toronto and Dubai, to name but a few.

To mark Commander Hadfield taking command of the International Space Station, he has now been sent a personal message from the Queen.

Signed 'Elizabeth R', the note reads: "I am pleased to transmit my personal best wishes, and those of all Canadians, to Colonel Christopher Hadfield as he takes command of the International Space Station on Wednesday.

"Our thoughts and best wishes are with him and the entire crew, as are our prayers for an eventual safe return to family, friends and fellow Canadians."

In response to his growing number of followers, Commander Hadfield tweeted on Tuesday: "Good Morning, Earth! While I slept, we went over half a million people following on Twitter! The interest and support amazes me. Thank you!"

© UTV News
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