We’ve got vertigo watching this video, but in a good way! This is a sped-up view of Earth from the International Space Station from the Cupola, a wraparound window that is usually used for cargo ship berthings and Earth observations.
In the video you can see a solar array from the space station gliding by the view on the left, and Canadarm2 (the robotic arm used for dockings) just barely visible on the right side, near the end.
Behind the camera is the prolific video poster Reid Wiseman, an Expedition 40/41 NASA astronaut who has been quite active on social media. He’s been posting pictures of the Earth on Twitter as well as numerous other Vine videos.
Isn’t there something so soothing about watching the Sun go around and around in this short video? This is the first Vine video from space. Vine is a social website that publishes short videos (around six seconds), and it’s used to great illustration in this message beamed from the International Space Station.
Going around Earth usually takes the space station around 90 minutes, but NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman explained that at this time of year, it is flying parallel with the “terminator line” — the location where the Sun rises or sets on Earth.
This left the space station in 24-hour sunlight, providing some great marathon space station watching for those people wanting to wave at the guys from the ground. According to Universe Today writer Bob King, the marathon wraps up tomorrow, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the space station from your location.