The antics and artistry of Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield

Canadian Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield performs David Bowie's "Space Oddity" in a still from a video released to mark Hadfield's departure from the International Space Station. His performance of Bowie’s iconic song has been watched millions of times since it was posted on YouTube on May 12, 2013. Hadfield, who is already a Twitter sensation with more than 800,000 followers, has posted incredible pictures of the world from space. He has also explained tasks like how to brush your teeth, and shave and clip your nails while weightless.

A cloud over the Sahara Desert - and its shadow - are seen from the International Space Station on Feb. 17, 2013. "There is an undeniable beauty in human imagination," Hadfield wrote in a Twitter tweet. "What do you see in this Saharan cloud?"

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield demonstrates what happens when you cry in space. Hadfield tweeted in January that it can hurt to squirt tears in space, since they "don't shed."

Arid fingers of sand-blasted rock look as if they're barely holding on against the hot Saharan wind in this view captured from the International Space Station on Feb. 20.

Chris Hadfield shows that when you wring out a wet washcloth in zero-G, the water clings to the cloth and his hands.

Siberia's Lake Baikal is spread out beneath the International Space Station in a Feb. 26 image. Immensely old and deep, the lake holds one-fifth of Earth's fresh water. The space station's solar panels can be seen at the right edge of the picture.

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield's image is refracted through a floating blob of water aboard the International Space Station. The photo was made available via Twitter on Jan. 27.

Long trails of smoke stream from a wildfire near Burrinjuck Dam in Australia on Jan. 8. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield captured the image from aboard the International Space Station.

Morning clouds cast shadows off the coast of China on Feb. 9, in this view from the International Space Station.

Ash streams from Italy's Mount Etna during a Feb. 28 eruption, as seen by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield aboard the International Space Station.

SpaceX's Dragon cargo capsule is snared by the International Space Station's robotic arm in preparation for its berthing on March 3. The unmanned capsule delivered hundreds of pounds of supplies, and brought more than a ton of cargo back to Earth on March 26.

Commander Chris Hadfield aboard the International Space Station in a photo posted on May 7. Hadfield writes: "Good to know that after 5 months, my Sokhol pressure suit still fits. It's what we wear in the Soyuz. High fashion."

The moon rises over a light blanket of clouds in a March 4 photo taken from the International Space Station by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield.

Snow-covered farmland in Central Asia looks like a complex patchwork when seen from the International Space Station. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield calls this picture "a monochromatic 3-D hallucination in the snow." The photo was taken on Feb. 25 and shared by Hadfield on March 14.

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield captured this picture of contrails from jet traffic as the International Space Station passed high above San Francisco on April 6, 2013.

Mountain ridges near San Alberto in Mexico look like a reptilian eye in this view from the International Space Station. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield uses a different metaphor: "A Dali watch on an alligator wristband." The picture was taken on April 15 and shared via social media on April 25.

The rugged landscape of Iytwelepenty/Davenport Murchison National Park in the Australian Outback is "crazily beautiful" when seen from outer space, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield says. Hadfield sent down this picture from the International Space Station on April 21.

Taking advantage of a weightless environment onboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station, Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency juggles some tomatoes, which he probably considers to be among the more delicious components of a recent "package" that arrived from Earth, in this image taken March 3, 2013.

This image was posted on Twitter on May 13 with this commentary by Commander Hadfield: "Spaceflight finale: To some this may look like a sunset. But it's a new dawn."