Aboard the International Space Station, astronauts observe the Earth in all her beauty. A member of the Expedition 56 crew currently onboard the station took this nighttime image of Java, Indonesia’s largest island. With coasts illuminated by city lights, the islands of Indonesia stand out against the darkness of the Indian Ocean. The island of Java is the geographic and economic center of Indonesia and with a population of more than 141 million people, it is the world’s most populous island.

More information about this image is available at the Earth Observatory and Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth.

Image Credit: NASA