14 DAY TRIAL // This image is obviously not for the feint of heart. Just imagine what it would be like to see this breathtaking view of the planet yourself, from hundreds of miles above the surface. This particular view is focused on the eastern seaboard of the United States.
The photo was collected on February 6, by members of the Expedition 30 crew currently aboard the International Space Station. A vast portion of the US Atlantic coast is covered, and important urban centers, such as Washington DC, can be made out easily.
Additionally, the intricate urban network sprawling between the largest cities on the east coast can be seen from a new, interesting perspective. The image stretches from New York City in the lower right part of the image, while Pittsburgh and Philadelphia occupy most of the center.
As an interesting side note, the spacecraft to the left of the image are the two Russian-built Soyuz space capsules that act as lifeboats for the permanent ISS crew. Each of them can carry three astronauts.