Photographing Star Trails From Space, At 17,000 MPH 

ISS ASTRONAUT DON PETTIT OFFERS A RARE VIEW FROM BEYOND THE HEAVENS.

These AMAZING photos offer us a glimpse of Earth from the International Space Station. As the ISS circles Earth at roughly 17,000 miles per hour, Flight Engineer Don Pettit takes 30-second exposures with a stock digital camera, then stacks those exposures into single frames that capture 10-15 minutes on the ISS. The rotation is fast enough for long exposures to blur the earth into gilded landing strip beneath a steady rain of stars—a scene I would have never imagined as beautiful before today.

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A satellite image of a phytoplankton bloom stretching across the Barents Sea off the coast of mainland Europe’s most northern point, Cape Nordkinn. Free-floating phytoplankton highlight the whirls of ocean currents in spectacular shades of blue and green. These microscopic marine organisms that drift on or near the surface of oceans and seas have been called ‘the grass of the sea’ beca…use they are the foundation of the oceanic food chain. Phytoplankton are able to convert inorganic compounds such as water, nitrogen and carbon into complex organic materials. With their ability to ‘digest’ these compounds, they are credited with removing as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as their plant ‘cousins’ on land - therefore having a profound influence on climate. They are also sensitive to environmental changes, so it is important to monitor and model phytoplankton into calculations of future climate change. This image was released as part of WWF’s 2012 Living Planet Report © ESA

A satellite image of the Canary Islands with unique cloud formations, created by ‘Von Karman vortices’, off the coast of Africa (right) in the Atlantic Ocean. These vortices, named after aeronautical engineer Theodore von Karman, form as air flows around an object in its path, causing it to separate and create eddies in its wake. The clockwise and counter-clockwise spirals in this image were created as wind blowing from the north over the Atlantic was disturbed by the archipelago. The islands are (left to right): El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. © ESA

Satellite image of Holbox Island and the Yalahau Lagoon on the northeast corner of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. A series of images have been released for WWF’s 2012 Living Planet Report © KARI / ESA

The 2012 Living Planet Report says we can create more just and equitable societies - providing food, water and energy for all - through the sustainable management of the Earth’s natural resources. Everyone - from governments, companies, communities to individual citizens - can accept the challenge to make a difference to our planet. We have the capacity to connect and inspire others to create the future we want.

This image of light infiltration in the Alps was shared with the Earth Hour community on March 31, as the hour of inspiration made its way across Europe. André Kuipers observed the lights going off from the International Space Station. Earth Hour 2012 took place in 152 countries and territories and nearly 7000 cities and towns - the biggest growth for the campaign since 2009. This is our planet - what are you willing to do to protect it? (Image ESA/NASA)

As Earth Hour made its way across the Middle East, we shared this exclusive image of the fertile Nile River in Egypt as seen from space. Andre Kuipers observed Earth Hour from the International Space Station for the first time in 2012. The images of our planet were shown over the Earth Hour weekend to give some perspective as to what it is we’re trying to save by going beyond the hour each year. Isn’t our world beautiful? (Image ESA/NASA)

This image of the Russian east coast (Kamchatka Peninsula) was shared on the Earth Hour Global Facebook Timeline page, just as the world’s largest country kicked off its first Earth Hour celebration for 2012. The event took place 9 different times in Russia, as the clocks reached 8:30PM in the various timezones. Organisers say some 15 million Russians took part this year, 40 per cent more than in 2011. These images were shared to celebrate Earth Hour reaching space for the first time, with Astronaut André Kuipers observing the world switch off from the International Space Station.

Earth Hour Libya

For the first time Libya joins Earth Hour Celebreations around the world.

Credit: Suhila Ahmed

Earth Hour Nepal

Prayer for the Earth and tree planting in Lumbini

Credit WWF Nepal

Earth Hour China

Photos from Lights Out Great Wall of China

Credit: WWF China