Indian Ocean
This time-lapse video was taken by the Expedition 61 crew on board the International Space Station (ISS) on October 28, 2019 at 21:34:32 to 21:48:40 GMT. This nighttime sequence was taken looking southeast and spans from the southern half of India, across Bangladesh, up to the mountains of China in the east. Flashes of lightning in the beginning highlight the coastline of India and the major city of Bangalore in the center. As the shot sweeps toward the northeast, we see the bright lights of Kolkata and Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Darkness is prevalent as the ISS flies over the southeast portion of the Tibetan Plateau. The last major city is Xi'an, at the edge of the Qinling Mountains, before light takes over the frame.
Compiled from frames ISS061-E-22294 to ISS061-E-22718
This time-lapse video was taken by the Expedition 56 crew on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots were taken on June 9, 2018 from 15:23:52 to 15:31:23 GMT, on a night pass from Malaysia toward Western Australia. The video begins looking southeast toward the Indonesia islands. Coastlines are traced out by urban areas with interconnected, yellow-colored lights. In contrast, there are many fishing boats in the surrounding dark waters that can be distinguished by individual green or cool-toned white lights. Lightning storms are the concentrated bright flashes are seen throughout this video. The ISS continues past the islands of Sumatra and Java. The video ends over the vast waters of the Indian Ocean while approaching the coast of Western Australia.
Date posted: 2018/06/14
Compiled from frames ISS056-E-6359 to ISS056-E-7261
This time-lapse video was taken by the STS-131 Mission crew on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots were taken from April 12-16, 2010. The video is a compilation of time-lapse photos showing Space Shuttle Discovery docked at the ISS from various angles and times of day.
Date posted: 2018/06/08
Compiled from frames STS131-E-11693 to STS131-E-14268
This time-lapse video was taken by the Expedition 55 crew on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots were taken on April 20, 2018 from 19:39:23 to 20:03:38 GMT, on a pass from southern Africa to Australia. The video begins at night just south of the African continent and continues east across the Indian Ocean. The highlight of this video is the Aurora Australis also known as the Southern Lights. The video ends with a sunrise over Australia.
Date posted: 2018/05/14
Compiled from frames ISS055-E-27892 to ISS055-E-30801
This video was taken by the Expedition 53 crew on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken on September 27-28, 2017 from 23:54:41 to 00:16:12 GMT, on a pass from the northern Atlantic Ocean to the base of the Red Sea. The video starts with a view of the Aurora Borealis over the northern Atlantic Ocean. The first city lights seen are those of Ireland and England before continuing southeast over France and Switzerland. The dark area of The Alps separates France and Switzerland from Italy before continuing southeast over Greece and the island of Crete. The bright Nile River Delta begins the pass over Egypt, and the video finishes by flying down the Red Sea.
Date posted: 2017/10/03
Compiled from frames ISS053-E-51766 to ISS053-E-53010
This video was taken by the Expedition 47 crew on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken on March 25, 2016 from 11:45:02 to 11:57:17 GMT on a pass over the ocean with very dense cloud cover. As the ISS continues traveling, the video shows a stunning view of sun glint over the ocean. Sunglint occurs when sunlight reflects off the surface of the ocean at the same angle that a satellite or other sensor is viewing the surface. The sun glint causes the ocean’s surface to look smooth, almost like glass.
Date posted: 2016/05/02
Compiled from frames ISS047-E-18857 to ISS047-E-19592
This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 34 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken on January 3, 2013 from 11:43:46 to 15:49:31 GMT, on a pass from northwestern Australia, making two complete orbits to eastern Quebec, near the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This fast-paced video features the ISS completing two and a half orbits around the Earth, crossing the terminator line several times in the process. The video begins as the ISS is in darkness, and as the moon rises on the left side of the video, the ISS begins to pass over into daylight. Clouds mostly obscure the view during this first daylight pass with the exception of the Caucasus and Elburz Mountains just before the terminator. The ISS slips back into night as the moon again rises in the left side of the video. As the Station flies back into daylight, the ISS flies over Central America, the Caribbean Sea, and Cuba and Florida before flying over the northern Atlantic Ocean. Most of Western Europe is under cloud, and the first land that can be seen is the Alps Mountains and Croatia. The ISS then passes over the terminator line again into darkness as the moon rises in the left side of the video. As the ISS passes back over into daylight, clouds obscure most of the Earth until near the end of the video, when it passes over the Baja Peninsula and the southwestern United States.
Date posted: 2013/01/23
Compiled from frames ISS034-E-16709 to ISS034-E-18545
This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 34 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken on January 4, 2013 from 12:03:33 to 12:19:53 GMT, on a pass from southwestern Russia, near the Black Sea, to the southern end of the Bay of Bengal, between Malaysia and Sri Lanka. The Caspian Sea is one of the first things seen after the clouds break during this daytime pass over the Middle East. Soon after, the Elburz Mountains are seen with snow covering the tops of the mountain peaks, followed by the Paropamisus Mountains in northern Afghanistan. The strong V-shaped mountain range is that of Sulaiman Mountains, in Pakistan. The video ends as the ISS passes over the terminator line.
Date posted: 2013/01/23
Compiled from frames ISS034-E-18613 to ISS034-E-19103
This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 31 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken from May 19, 2012 from 10:44:20 to 10:54:57 GMT, on a pass from western Egypt to east of Tanzania. This video begins looking back downtrack towards the Soyuz and the Sahara Desert, with the Mediterranean Sea in the far back. As the ISS continues southeast over northern Africa, the clear line between the dry Sahara sands and the more tropical region of central Africa stands out. The video ends over the Indian Ocean.
Date posted: 2012/08/29
Compiled from frames ISS031-E-58173 to ISS031-E-58783
This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 25, 2012 from 20:08:44 to 20:13:23 GMT, on a pass from the southern Indian Ocean, southwest of Australia to the Southern Ocean, south of Australia. This video features the ISS traveling over the Aurora Australis. The green and red lights from the aurora stand out well against the dark sky and ocean.
Date posted: 2012/06/14
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-276668 to ISS030-E-276880
This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken March 31, 2012 from 06:16:05 to 06:26:55 GMT, on a pass from just south of eastern Australia to the South Pacific Ocean. This video begins as the ISS travels over the Indian Ocean, east and then northeast to the Pacific Ocean. As the ISS travels to the east, the sun can be seen setting off in the west (away from the direction of travel). As the sun sets over the horizon, refraction from the Earth's atmosphere causes the sun to appear orange before setting behind the planet.
Date posted: 2012/05/30
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-211603 to ISS030-E-212178
This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken April 24, 2012 from 22:35:06 to 22:39:05 GMT, on a pass over the Indian Ocean, north of the Kerguelen Islands. This video mainly features the Aurora Australis and the Soyuz capsule as the camera is facing near nadir towards the Indian Ocean.
Date posted: 2012/05/30
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-260774 to ISS030-E-261013
This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken March 10, 2012 from 14:49:58 to 15:06:09 GMT, on a pass from the Indian Ocean, southwest of Australia, to southern New Zealand. This video mainly focuses on the dynamic motion of the Aurora Australis over the Indian Ocean. The video begins far enough away from the aurora so it is easy to see the underside, and as the ISS flies over, the camera captures the motion of the aurora from the top.
Date posted: 2012/04/09
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-141370 to ISS030-E-142341
This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken March 4, 2012 from 17:19:17 to 17:27:10 GMT, on a pass over the South Indian Ocean. This video again focuses on the Aurora Australis as the ISS passes over the South Indian Ocean, from northeast of the Kerugelen Islands to south of Australia. The streaks of the aurora are very visible and active in this video, as the ISS passes right over the green lights.
Date posted: 2012/03/21
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-122539 to ISS030-E-123010
This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken March 10, 2012 from 14:49:58 to 15:05:37 GMT, on a pass from the South Indian Ocean to southeast New Zealand. This video mainly focuses on the Aurora Australis over the Southern Hemisphere. As the ISS traveled southeast and then northeast, the crew captured the bands of the Aurora Australis as the Milky Way made an appearance in the star field.
Date posted: 2012/03/21
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-130268 to ISS030-E-131207
This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken March 12, 2012 from 19:14:04 to 19:18:02 GMT, on a pass from the Southern Ocean, south of Africa, to the South Indian Ocean, west of the Kerguelen Islands. This video was also taken using a fisheye lens from inside of the Cupola. As Earth rotates beneath the ISS, we can see clouds floating by, the airglow surrounding the Earth, and the Aurora Australis to the south.
Date posted: 2012/03/21
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-142345 to ISS030-E-142583
This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken March 3, 2012 from 17:59:48 to 18:16:25 GMT, on a pass from eastern Kenya, near the Indian Ocean, to the South Indian Ocean, east of the Kerguelen Islands. This video begins as the ISS travels southeast from eastern Africa over the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. The first land we see is that of the Mauritius and Reunion Islands east of Madagascar. The pass continues over the Indian Ocean, where there are heavy clouds blocking the view of the water. Finally, the Aurora Australis begins to appear, as well as a faded view of the Milky Way.
Date posted: 2012/03/21
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-119846 to ISS030-E-120843
This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken January 1, 2012 from 16:28:35 to 16:49:55 GMT, on a pass from central Turkey, south of Kayseri, to the Indian Ocean, west of Australia. The video begins looking southeast towards Iraq and the Persian Gulf. Kuwait City sits right of track as a brightly lit city on the coastline of the Arabian Peninsula. Continuing southeast over the Persian Gulf, the capital cities of Manama and Doha can be seen right of track before the ISS approaches Dubai and the Musandam Peninsula. The ISS continues over the Indian Ocean, with India far left of track. The video ends as the ISS continues southeast of the Indian Ocean.
Date posted: 2012/01/27
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-39624 to ISS030-E-40029
This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 30 on board the International Space Station. The sequence of shots was taken January 3, 2012 from 15:01:30 to 15:08:17 GMT, on a pass from the Indian Ocean, just west of Australia, to south of Australia, west of Tasmania. The pass begins looking eastward toward southern Australia at the Aurora Australis. The crew captures the aurora just before the sun begins to come up in this short video. A few orbiting satellites pass by throughout the video as well.
Date posted: 2012/01/20
Click here to read about the Aurora Australis.
Compiled from frames ISS030-E-36035 to ISS030-E-36220
Video of the Aurora Australis taken by the crew of Expedition 29 on board the International Space Station. This sequence of shots was taken September 17, 2011 from 17:22:27 to 17:37:21 GMT, on an ascending pass from south of Madagascar to just southwest of Australia over the Indian Ocean.
Date posted: 2011/09/22
Compiled from frames ISS029-E-5865 to ISS029-E-6163
Video of the Aurora Australis taken by the crew of Expedition 28 on board the International Space Station. This sequence of shots was taken September 7, 2011 from 17:38:03 to 17:49:15 GMT, from the French Southern and Antarctic Lands in the South Indian Ocean to southern Australia.
Date posted: 2011/09/22
Compiled from frames ISS028-E-43072 to ISS028-E-43296
