Here’s the latest video shot from the International Space Station, courtesy of the crew of Expedition 34. You’ll see the view from above as the ISS crosses the terminator from night into day, and then slips back into night again. This day/night cycle happens 16 times in orbit during a 24 period. This sped-up view shows two complete orbits on January 3, 2013 from 11:43:46 to 15:49:31 GMT, and includes a couple of cameo appearances from a rising Moon.
While the beauty of Earth is indisputable, the magnificence of the space station is readily apparent here, as the solar arrays glow with the setting sunlight, even as Earth below is plunged into darkness.
Let’s hope we can one day all experience this view first-hand!
See more info about the video — and others — at the NASA Crew Earth Observations website.
~~~~~~~ Chronos ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A spreading arc of light heralds the coming of days,
From a Space Station’s silent course through night.
Man’s World awakens again, to a Star’s rising rays,
As motion turns Earth in play of shadow and light.
From surface-weight unbounded, far above land and sea,
Astronauts view suspended, diverse mosaics of geography.
Enthralled by rolling vistas below, unfolding wonders to see,
Hearts are moved, minds stirred, by wealth of topography.
Thoughts ponder the Home of Life, before beauty enthralled.
Reflect man’s ascent from humble farm field to starry height:
Mankind in their billions, massed in urban patches so small,
From whence, unseen, the glory and awe of country night.
– JRC
Earth above and sky below we tread lightly as around and around we go….
But Earth below and sky above… we reap a tremulous harvest of surety towards ends unknown…
From the explored to the unexplored – from the well the known to the unknown.
From the day of present Science (pure), into the night of its whispered secrets:
From imprinted yesterdays to unwritten tomorrows.
From knowledge banks past, to data sets future:
From near terrains familiar to far horizons unseen.
I can see my house
Dude, can’t you keep it clean? I see a spider on your couch…
Be really cool to have a geographic overlay of the terrain passing below.. an orientation thang? One orbit without.. one with?