An image of Bermuda shot from space has really taken off after being posted on The Royal Gazette’s Facebook page.And this newspaper can now reveal the meaning behind the cryptic message that International Space Station commander Chris Hadfield attached to the photograph, which has now received more than 33,000 hits on Facebook.After snapping the Island more than 200 miles above the planet, Cdr Hadfield uploaded the image on Twitter with the caption: “Bermuda in the distance. Home of the Lavigne family, with special thanks to Justin for all his help”.Bermudian Justin Lavigne is a close friend of Cdr Hadfield’s son, and is now working for the astronaut as a public relations officer, promoting his out-of-this-world career and achievements.And Cdr Hadfield, who is due to return to Earth next month after a five-month stint in charge of the ISS, has other ties to Bermuda.He holidayed here as a teenager and, as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force, spent time at the US Naval Air Station at Kindley Field (now LF Wade International Airport here in the 1980s.Mr Lavigne met Cdr Hadfield’s son, Evan, at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick several years ago and the two friends now work promoting the astronaut’s career.Speaking from Amsterdam, Holland, Mr Lavigne told The Royal Gazette: “We spend our days promoting Chris and spreading awareness about his posts. We want to make as many people as possible recognise him and become aware of his interesting career.“Chris came on a family vacation to Bermuda when he was a teenager and also made two or three short trips to the airport with the RCAF in the mid 1980s for training exercises with the Canadian Navy."He tells me that he loved it there and would enjoy making another visit some day.”Cdr Hadfield’s stunning image of Bermuda can be seen at http://www.facebook.com/royalgazette.bm?fref=ts.