'Comet trails, eclipses, and storms': 2024’s best photos from 250 miles above in ISS

Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh

Credit: NASA

Cosmic Lens

Captured from the International Space Station, stunning images offer a perspective only 250 miles above Earth can provide, showcasing the planet’s breathtaking beauty and fragility.

Rare Views

Astronauts photographed extraordinary sights like noctilucent clouds and vivid auroras, offering glimpses of atmospheric phenomena rarely seen from the ground.

Credit: NASA

Celestial Visitor

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) dazzled astronauts with its brilliant blue tail as it streaked across the blackness of space, 44 million miles from Earth.

Credit: NASA

Eclipsed Earth

In April, astronauts watched the moon’s shadow creep across Quebec and New England during the solar eclipse, capturing the event from a vantage point unmatched on Earth.

Credit: NASA

Nature’s Wrath

From Category 5 hurricanes to South Africa’s raging wildfires, astronauts documented the planet’s extremes, underscoring the fragility of life below.

Credit: NASA

Impact Crater

Lake Manicouagan in Quebec, carved by an ancient meteorite impact, stood out from space as a vivid reminder of Earth’s violent past.

Credit: NASA

Borderless Planet

Astronauts noted how borders between nations fade into the endless expanse, such as the meeting point of Libya, Sudan, and Egypt in the Sahara desert.

Credit: NASA

Overview Effect

Seeing Earth from above creates a profound shift in perspective, with astronauts describing feelings of awe, unity, and a renewed sense of responsibility for the planet.

Unfiltered Awe

Astronauts admit their cameras cannot capture Earth’s true beauty, with NASA’s Matt Dominick calling it an experience that transcends the limits of technology.