Cities! Auroras! Lightning! One good use for the ISS
Michael König, Time Lapse Views of Earth from ISS, 2011. The music leaves a little to be desired, perhaps, but this is one wonderful video. Full-screen and hi-def it
Here’s a little break from the regularly scheduled program, via the Bad Astronomer.
As a big fan of robotic exploration of the solar system and space telescopes, I don’t usually get too excited about the International Space Station, which does some science, OK, but not much when compared to its overall cost. I guess human space flight has its place; I’m just not sure what it is.
But this makes me grateful that the ISS is up there, orbiting the planet every 90 minutes. What wonderful, thought-provoking views.
I’m a fairly serious map and geography nerd, so watching this is a thrill for me. I see the Gulf of California at 1:20, the boot of Italy at 2:03, the Nile Delta and River at 2:25 (and also later), and my own ATL at the bottom of the screen at 0:39 and 2:57. The second ATL shot is followed by a flyover of Florida, after which a dark Haiti/Dominican Republic and brilliantly-outlined Puerto Rico pass by. What can you find?
And what in blazes is that snake-like thing that shows up at 3:47? It’s not China’s Great Wall; is it some river? Anyone know? It shows up again on the left edge at 4:38.
UPDATE 11/21: It’s the India-Pakistan border! Who knew?
The auroras and lightning throughout are wonderful, are they not? It’s easy to forget that lightning storms never stop discharging our fair planet’s atmosphere. (BTW, speaking of ATL and lightning, I just found this nice picture!)
Anyway, if this is your cup of tea, enjoy. If not, fine, whatever.
Here’s to a brand new week.
