Earth Observation taken during a day pass by the Expedition 40 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Folder lists this as: Afterglow on clouds. Also sent as Twitter message: Sun highlights a storm from underneath.

Earth Observation

ISS040-E-131380 (8 Sept. 2014) --- Collections of clouds hug Sicily (lower left) and Italy, which runs vertically through the center of this oblique scene, exposed by one the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the International Space Station at an altitude of 221 nautical miles.

Earth Observation

ISS040-E-074047 (22 July 2014) --- Because of city lights, several points in the mid-east along the Eastern Mediterranean Sea coast and a bit inland can be delineated in this early morning view photographed by one of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station on July 22, 2014. A portion of the Mediterranean Sea is at the top (northwest) of this image. The orbital outpost was flying at an altitude of approximately 223 nautical miles above a point the coordinates of which are 31.7 degrees north latitude and 34.4 degrees east longitude when the image was exposed, using an 85mm lens.

ISS040-E-091156 (10 Aug. 2014) --- One of the Expedition 40 crew members 225 nautical miles above Earth aboard the International Space Station used a 200mm lens to record this image of Hawke's Bay, New Zealand on Aug. 10, 2014. Napier and the bay area's most populous area are just out of frame at lower right.

ISS040-E-065857 (15 July 2014) --- One of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the International Space Station recorded this colorful image of Aurora Australis on July 15, 2014. Achernar (just to the right of center) is the brightest and most easily recognizable star in this generally southward view. The orbital outpost was flying at an altitude of 225 nautical miles over a nadir point located at 51.6 degrees south latitude and 110.3 degrees east longitude. Two solar array panels are partially visible in an edge-on angle on the right side of the frame.

Earth Observation

ISS040-E-008307 (7 June 2014) --- One of the members of the Expedition 40 crew aboard the International Space Station aimed a camera "around" the docked Russian Soyuz vehicle to record this night image of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai (center) and Abu Dhabi (left) are easily identified. The Straits of Hormuz are at right and the coast of Iran is barely visible in upper right.

Earth Observation

ISS040-E-050780 (7 July 2014) --- One of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the International Space Station, flying 226 nautical miles above the Indian Ocean, south of Australia, recorded this image of Aurora Australis or the Southern Lights on July 7, 2014.

Earth Observation - time lapse

Earth Observation

ISS040-E-040103 (5 July 2014) --- As the International Space Station was flying at an altitude of 226 nautical miles on July 5 above a point in the southern Indian Ocean near South Africa's Prince Edwards Islands, one of the Expedition 40 crew members photographed this image of Aurora Australis.

Time lapse - Aurora Australis

Earth Observation

ISS040-E-081424 (27 July 2014) --- From an altitude of 223 nautical miles, one of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the International Space Station on July 27, 2014 recorded this oblique night image of Taiwan (center foreground) and part of mainland China. Hundreds of fishing vessels, perhaps for harvesting both fish and squid as well as other forms of marine life, are seen in clusters throughout the panorama. Two lightning storms -- one on either side of the image -- are also visible.

Earth Observation

ISS040-E-043231 (6 July 2014) --- As in the case of many previous space missions, the Great Salt Lake in Utah serves as a striking visual marker for the Expedition 40 crew members orbiting 222 nautical miles over North America aboard the International Space Station. A 200mm focal length was used to capture the image. A sharp line across the lake's center is caused by the restriction in water flow from the railroad causeway. The eye-catching colors of the lake stem from the fact that Great Salt Lake is hypersaline, typically 3-5 times saltier than the ocean.

ISS040-E-031901 (3 July 2014) --- As the International Space Station was flying 227 nautical miles above the Bahama Islands, one of the Expedition 40 crew members photographed this image of Hurricane Arthur, moving northerly along the Atlantic coast line. Arthur's forecast at 11 a.m. (EDT) on July 3, 2014 projected it hitting the coast of North Carolina as a Category 2 hurricane, with winds over 100 mph, on the night of July 3 or the morning of July 4. A tip of one of the solar panels on the orbital outpost is in upper left.