From Himalayas To Bahamas, Let's Go On A Virtual Tour Courtesy Of NASA

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the US-based space agency, often captivates viewers with its stunning images and videos from outer space. Recently, NASA shared a series of pictures on its Instagram account, showcasing various locations on Earth from space.

“Approximately every 90 minutes, the International Space Station orbits Earth at a speed of 17,500 miles (36,000 kilometres) per hour,” read the caption accompanying the post.

As per the caption, the first image captures the Himalayas, a vast mountain range separating the Indian subcontinent from China. This region is home to South Asian nations like Nepal and Bhutan, with Lakes Mansarovar and Rakshastal visible on the Chinese side. The picture was taken from the International Space Station (ISS) as it orbited 261 miles above Earth. The snow-covered mountains extend diagonally from the bottom left to the upper right of the image, while the curvature of the Earth is visible on the right side.⁣

The second image depicts the Bahamas at night, as seen from orbit. The deep teal waters contrast with the dark sky which is dotted with clouds.⁣ The third image showcases the city lights of Boston at night, sprawled along the Massachusetts coastline like dendrites. ⁣

The fourth image captures Riyadh, the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia, located in the Arabian Desert. The ISS captured this view as it passed over the Arabian Peninsula. Riyadh’s city grid is visible against the backdrop of red, ochre and tan sandy terrain.⁣

The fifth image reveals the Coast Mountains covered in snow, resembling meringue. The rugged peaks of this mountain range, located along the South coast of British Columbia, are highlighted by the snow cover.

The social media post showcasing the images from NASA’s ISS garnered significant attention, accumulating over 500,000 likes and more than 15,000 comments. Among the comments, one user expressed awe, stating, “Our planet Earth looks incredible in these aerial images.” Another user echoed this sentiment, commenting, “This planet is just simply beautiful.”

Previously, astronaut Marcus Wandt from the European Space Agency (ESA) took breathtaking photographs of Earth from the ISS.

ESA emphasized the importance of data gathered from space missions such as the Copernicus Sentinel-2 in advancing our comprehension of Earth’s intricacies, especially regarding global changes. They encouraged individuals to admire Marcus Wandt’s assortment of Earth photographs taken during his prolonged stay on the ISS and urged them to choose their favourite image from the series.