The Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia glimmers through the darkness in this incredible image of Earth from space captured by astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
The curvature of Earth can be seen in the middle of the image, while at the top the blackness of space stretches onwards, peppered with just a few visible stars.
Pictures of Earth from space are ubiquitous since the birth of the Apollo missions and the Space Shuttle era.
So much so that in general conversation we now regularly talk about how things might look from space, or question whether the Great Wall of China can be seen from space.
This image is proof in the glory of viewing our planet from Earth orbit.
Facts about the International Space Station
- Crews onboard are travelling at 5 miles per second, orbiting Earth roughly once every 1.5 hours.
- In 24 hours, the ISS makes 16 orbits of Earth and sees 16 sunrises and sunsets.
- The reason astronauts on the ISS float is not because there is no gravity, but rather because there is gravity. The space station is in constant free-fall, but its orbital position means that it continuously dips beyond Earth's horizon.
- The ISS is visible from Earth with the naked eye. For tips on how to see it, read our guide: How to see the International Space Station in the night sky.
Image stats
- Observatory International Space Station
- Release date 7 May 2020
- Image credit NASA/ESA
