The View from the International Space Station: Astronaut posts Breathtaking Pictures of Earth
- Commander Chris Hadfield shared these pictures on social messaging service Twitter
- On Friday Commander Hadfield will conduct an Earth-plus-space Jam with Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies
These breathtaking pictures of the Earth from space have taken the world by storm after they were posted by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station.
Canadian Chris Hadfield snapped the astonishing images over days to give space fans an insight into the incredible views enjoyed from 250 miles above the planet's surface.
Via the internet connection on the space station, he updated his accounts daily with the beautiful pictures he has taken and news on the progress of the various missions and experiments he and his colleagues carry out.
'This morning, over Africa, my breath was taken away': Astronaut Chris Hadfield shared this photo
'Where the Mississippi enters the Gulf of Mexico. The soil of America's heartland forming a vast, deep delta': The Canadian has wowed thousands
'Glaciers hiding from the summer sun in the Andes': Each of the photos posted has been accompanied by a wry comment
'It's a bird, it's a plane, it's ... a river in South America': Commander Hadfield has been tweeting since arriving on the ISS on December 21
'The centre of the action: New Orleans - I can see the Superdome!
'This African lake is begging for me to draw a face on it. Anybody up for a photoshop challenge?' Each of the images present an entrancing view of our planet
But the 53-year-old's accomplishments spread far beyond the field of photography.
Not only did the 53-year-old take command of the space station, but he also jammed with the head man of indie pop group the Barenaked Ladies and chat with William Shatner in a webcast organised by the Canadian Space Agency.
These, his set of pictures, were taken over many weeks or so show locations as diverse as San Francisco's glittering lights and breathtaking cloud formations over Africa.
Not all the images are labelled with their location, but each presents an entrancing view of our jewel-like planet from a vantage point few will ever be able to see it.
The first Canadian to walk in space, Commander Hadfield, 53, a former air force fighter pilot, has previously flown two Space Shuttle missions in 1995 and 2001.
'Clouds, shadows and sand, playing with my imagination': This mesmerising image was posted with no clue as to its location on Earth
'A two-dimensional fountain, a river spurting and fanning into the sea': The images have been shared by Commander Hadfield
'Back on the East Coast, the Chesapeake Bay from orbit. You can even see the causeway': The astronaut, also a singer songwriter, will jam with Ed Robertson
'In the spirit of the day: San Francisco at night - crystal clear, can even see the lights of Alcatraz from space
'You know you're a big dam when you a) have your own airport & b) are visible from space': The images are sent to his son Evan, who posts them online on his behalf
'Tentacles of an Andes river drain the meltwaters': These are views which few people will ever get the chance to see for themselves
Aside from his military and space career, the former farm boy also has a strong creative streak, expressed not only through his beautiful photography but also as a singer-songwriter.
Previously he conducted an Earth-plus-space jam with the Barenaked Ladies' Ed Roberston, a fellow Canadian, to add another accomplishment to his already enviable biography.
And that comes after a chat with the original spaceship commander James T Kirk - aka William Shatner - to be broadcast online .
You can see more incredible pictures from space and catch up on Commander Hadfield's musical progress on earlier threads on this site. 
Down under from up above: The astronaut tweeted this shot of what he described as the 'endless beaches of Australia', adding 'That's where I'd go for Australia Day!'
'In the lee of the rock - protecting an island of humanity in a sea of orange sand.' Some of the pictures look as if they are from a different planet
African landscapes: The flight commander, who was launched into space on the Soyuz capsule just before Christmas last year, tweeted this picture of sunlight glinting on Lake Nasser, Egypt
Contrast: Commander Hadfield posted this shot of a vivid blue river snaking through Brazilian farmland on his Twitter page
'Replacing cooling lines for the spacewalk suits. Thick black insulation keeps dew from forming and causing corrosion,' Flight Engineer Chris Hadfield gets to work
'Question of the day: What made these eight clouds? Is the Earth sending smoke signals?' The astronaut spots a mysterious sighting
'Venezuelan valley framed by misty clouds - mysterious, beautiful and surreal.' The amazing pictures show the world in a whole new light
Patterns: The astronaut tweeted this picture of patterns on the ocean as seen from space, adding the caption 'Water has structure - we just aren't normally in a place to see it'
City views: The view of Boston, U.S., by night as seen by the crew on board the International Space Station
Inspiring views: Commander Hadfield said he could hear the Beach Boys playing in his head as he gazed at the Caribbean island of Aruba miles below
Descriptive: The astronaut described 'cauliflower' clouds above the Amazon rainforest and a river 'like lightning' in this picture from the International Space Station
Out of this world: The Golden Gate Bridge is visible from space in this incredible shot of San Francisco Bay taken by the astronaut
Disaster: The astronaut shared this view of flood hit Bundaberg, Australia, adding 'Keep safe and dry down there'
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Astronauts Personal Breathtaking Pictures From Space
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