Ultimate vantage point: Breathtaking video of Earth's landscapes taken by orbiting astronauts

This footage of Earth taken by astronauts in orbit is, literally, out of this world.

Nasa scientist Dr Justin Wilkinson made this high-definition composite video using the best images taken by space adventurers over the years.

The seven-minute film - called, simply, What An Astronaut's Camera Sees - begins over the coast of Namibia in south-western Africa.



Dr Wilkinson's narration points out that the red sand dunes in the Namib desert are renowned in astronaut circles as one of the most beautiful sites on Earth from orbit.

The film then slowly glides over highlights including a large dune field known as the Oriental Sand Sea, before astonishing footage of Sicily at the foot of Italy comes into view.

The blue waters that surround the north coast of Australia look promisingly warm, and Dr Wilkinson's voiceover lets the viewer know that the largest is Groote Island, or big island in Dutch.

A stunning image of the eye of a hurricane follows.

Dr Wilkinson says: 'When you see a huge powerful feature like this and the astronauts do shoot them a lot and we have had some detailed views looking right down the eye, looking at the eyewall.

'In fact, I seem to remember views of breaking waves on the sea surface at the bottom of the eye. Amazing detail.'

Above Texas, and two circles can clearly be seen. Dr Wilkinson explains that these are either volcanoes or effect from inside Earth producing circular features.

They form the Big Bend area of Texas, he informs us.

Weather fronts also play a part in the composite footage - a cloud above Sicily obscures a view of Mount Etna, while a thunderhead, or large rainstorm, can be seen over the Amazon Basin.

Dr Wilkinson works with the Crew Earth Observations Office at Nasa's Johnson Space Center in Houston.


The welcoming blue waters off the north coast of Australia. The large island at the bottom of the image is Groote Island



'Huge powerful feature': This photo looks, in incredible detail, down the eye of a hurricane



Over Sicily: The seven-minute film - called, simply, What An Astronaut's Camera Sees - was compiled from the best images taken by spacemen in orbit over the years



Ultimate tourist snap: An image taken from a high-definition composite video that uses the best images taken by Nasa astronauts. Cloud can be seen over the coast of Namibia - red sand dunes to the left are renowned in astronaut circles as one of the most beautiful sites on Earth from orbit


Source : NASA / Daily Mail.co UK