Incredible Space Photos by Astronaut Douglas Wheelock (30 photos)

On September 22, following the launch of Expedition 23, Colonel Douglas H. Wheelock assumed command of the International Space Station and the Expedition 25 crew. He can be found on Twitter as @Astro_Wheels, where he posts photographs taken from the space station. We present to you incredible, breathtaking photographs of our planet from a different perspective. Commentary provided by Douglas.







Onward, Discovery! On October 23, 2007, at 11:40 AM, I launched into space for the first time on the shuttle Discovery. It's beautiful... sadly, this is its last flight. I can't wait to board the ship when it arrives at the station in November.

Earthritis. The space station in blue terrestrialitis, which occurs when the rising sun penetrates our planet's thin atmosphere, bathing the station in a blue light. I'll never forget this place... a view like this makes my soul sing, and my heart yearn for flight.



NASA astronaut Douglas H. Wheelock.



Juan de Nova Island in the Mozambique Channel between Madagascar and Africa. The astonishing color palette of these places rivals that of the Caribbean Sea.



The Northern Lights in the distance on a beautiful night over Europe. The Strait of Dover is clearly visible in the photo, as is Paris, the City of Lights. A light haze over the west of England, particularly London. It's incredible to see the lights of cities and towns against the backdrop of deep space. I'll miss this view of our amazing world.



“Fly me to the Moon…let me dance among the Stars…” I hope we never lose our sense of wonder. A passion for exploration and discovery is a wonderful legacy to leave to our children. I hope one day we can set sail and set sail. Someday this wonderful day will come…



Of all the places on our magnificent planet, few can rival the beauty and richness of color of the Bahamas. This photo shows our spacecraft, Progress-37, against the backdrop of the Bahamas. How beautiful our world truly is!



At 28,163 km/h (8 km/sec)… we orbit the Earth, completing one revolution every 90 minutes, witnessing sunrises and sunsets every 45 minutes. So half of our journey is spent in pitch darkness. We absolutely need helmet lights for work. In this photo, I'm preparing the handle of one of the instruments... the "M3 Ammonia Connector."



Every time I look out the window and see our beautiful planet, my soul sings! I see blue skies, white clouds, and a bright, blessed day.



Another breathtaking sunset. In Earth orbit, we see 16 such sunsets every day, and each one is truly precious. This beautiful thin blue line is what sets our planet apart from so many others. Space is cold, and Earth is an island of life in the vast, dark sea of ​​space.



A beautiful atoll in the Pacific Ocean, photographed with a 400mm lens. Approximately 1,930 km south of Honolulu.



A beautiful reflection of sunlight in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. From space, there are no boundaries… From there, only breathtaking views open up, like this island of Cyprus.



Over the center of the Atlantic Ocean, just before another stunning sunset. Below, the spirals of Hurricane Earl are visible in the rays of the setting sun. An interesting glimpse into the vital energy of our sun. The sun's rays on the port side of the station and on Hurricane Earl… these two objects are gathering the last bits of energy before plunging into darkness.



A little further east, we saw the sacred monolith Uluru, better known as Ayers Rock. I've never had the opportunity to visit Australia, but someday I hope to stand next to this natural wonder.



Morning over the Andes in South America. I don't know the name of this peak for sure, but I was simply struck by its magic, its peaks reaching toward the sun and wind.



Above the Sahara Desert, approaching ancient lands and thousands of years of history. The Nile River flows through Egypt past the Giza Pyramids in Cairo. Beyond, the Red Sea, the Sinai Peninsula, the Dead Sea, the Jordan River, the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean, and Greece on the horizon.



A night view of the Nile River, snaking through Egypt to the Mediterranean, and Cairo, located in the river delta. What a contrast between the dark, lifeless desert of North Africa and the Nile River, whose banks teem with life. In the distance, in this picture taken on a beautiful autumn evening, the Mediterranean Sea is visible.



Our unmanned 'Progress 39P' is approaching the ISS for refueling. It's full of food, fuel, spare parts, and everything we need for our station. Inside was a real treat – fresh fruits and vegetables. What a miracle after three months of tubed food!



I wanted to share this view from the Cupola with you. We said goodbye to our group members Sasha, Misha, and Tracy this weekend, and they returned safely to Earth. In this photo, Tracy quietly dreams of returning home.



The Soyuz 23C Olympus module is docked with the nadir side of the ISS. When our work here is finished, we will return home to Earth. I thought you might enjoy seeing this spectacle through the Dome. We are flying over the snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus. The rising sun reflects off the Caspian Sea.



A burst of color, movement, and life on the canvas of our amazing world. This is part of the Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Australia, captured through a 1200mm lens. I think even the great impressionists would be amazed by this natural scene.



All the beauty of Italy on a clear summer evening. You can see the many beautiful islands adorning the coastline – Capri, Sicily, and Malta. Naples and Mount Vesuvius stand out along the coast.



At the southern tip of South America lies the pearl of Patagonia. The stunning beauty of rugged mountains, massive glaciers, fjords, and open sea combine in stunning harmony. I dreamed of this place. I wonder what it would be like to breathe the air there. Pure magic!



The "dome" on the nadir side of the station offers a panoramic view of our beautiful planet. Fedor took this photo from the docking compartment window. In this photo, I'm sitting in the dome, preparing the camera for our evening flight over Hurricane Earl.



The Greek islands on a clear night during our flight over Europe. Athens shines brightly along the Mediterranean Sea. It's a surreal feeling to see all the beauty of this ancient land from space.



Florida and the southeastern United States in the evening. A clear autumn evening, moonlight over the water and a sky strewn with millions of stars.



A clear, starry night over the eastern Mediterranean. Ancient lands with a thousand-year history stretch from Athens to Cairo. Historic lands, fairytale cities, and enticing islands… Athens – Crete – Rhodes – Izmir – Ankara – Cyprus – Damascus – Beirut – Haifa – Amman – Tel Aviv – Jerusalem – Cairo – all transformed into tiny pinpricks of light on this cool November night. These places seem to exude grace and tranquility.



At this time of year, you can fully appreciate the beauty of the polar mesospheric clouds. With our high illumination angle, we were able to capture a thin layer of noctilucent clouds at sunset.



Shannon, Fedor, and I are in our Sokol suits in the MRM-1 module. We boarded the Olympus capsule to seal and check for leaks in our suits. All systems are operational, and the countdown has begun.