The ultimate in satellite viewing: Spectacular photos taken in 2010 from the International Space Station



Astronauts who have flown on the International Space Station say it's the best view in the world.



From their vantage point above Earth's surface, they watch the endless panorama of the planet beneath them - including immense cloudscapes, volcanoes, dune fields and cities at night.

Now this selection of of breathtaking pictures shot by astronauts on board the ISS this year illustrates just what an incredible view they have up there.



Like the ultimate holiday snaps, the amazing NASA images were taken in orbit up to 286 miles above the planet at speeds of an amazing 17,000mph.

The border between France and Italy seen from the International Space Station on April 28, 2010

And the astronauts captured some of the most memorable scenery - and events - of the year.

Included in the stunning collection is the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The Mississippi River Delta and nearby Louisiana coast appear dark in the sunlight that illuminates patterns in the oil caused by wind and water currents.



A solid field of low cloud cover and the v-shaped wake of a ship are also visible.

Another is the colossal Hurricane Earl which in August and September formed over eastern Central and North America. Despite looking like a peaceful and serene event from thousands of miles above, the catastrophe caused millions of pounds of damage below and killed at least one person.

Also shown is the vast Twitchell Canyon Fire that struck near central Utah's Fishlake National Forest. The huge blaze - clearly visible from the ISS - was reported to cover approximately 33,071 acres on September 21, 2010.



The Twitchell Canyon Fire, near central Utah's Fishlake National Forest seen on September 20, 2010

Hurricane Earl hovering over the tropical Atlantic Ocean on August 30th

Taken on a handheld SLR camera by a crew member from Expedition Crew 24, the photograph shows smoke plumes generated by fires started by a lightning strike on July 20, 2010.



The photograph even shows the area's Interstate Highway 15 visible at the upper right. The International Space Station (ISS) has been permanently manned for 10 years since Expedition 1 began in October 2000.

From then six-man crews from around the world have been steadily sent up - relieving the previous inhabitants -on Expedition missions lasting around six months. And when they're not conducting science experiments in zero gravity, the live-in astronauts have time to enjoy some of the most impressive views ever seen.

All the images were either shot by handheld cameras or using the ISS's onboard camera - when a crew member spotted an eye-catching scene. One image shows how astronauts on board get the perfect viewpoint from the ISS's cupola, an observatory module with 360-degree view windows.

The aurora taken during a geomagnetic storm that was most likely caused by a coronal mass ejection from the sun over the Southern Indian Ocean on May 24th

Artificial archipelagos including the World and the Palm along the coast of Dubai, United Arab Emirates seen on January 13th

'We can see a lot more from up there than you might expect,' said Science Officer Ed Lu, who spent six months on board the ISS.

'We aren't as far away as some people think -our orbit is only about 400 kilometres above the surface of the Earth. While this is high enough to see that the Earth is round - believe me, it is - we are still just barely skimming the surface.'



The ISS flies as far north as the latitude of London or Berlin, and as far south as the tip of South America. By the time the ISS has completed one 90-minute orbit, the Earth has rotated over 300 miles beneath it.



Only after the station has completed 16 orbits - a day's worth - will it return to its original start point. So every 24 hours the astronauts will have travelled along 16 different orbit tracks, each with its distinctive views of the planet below.

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill seen from the International Space Station on May 4th

Astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson gazing at the view of Earth from a window in the Cupola on the International Space Station in September 2010

'When you are standing on the ground, the horizon is a few kilometres away,' added Ed. 'If you are at the top of a tall building, the horizon can be as far as about 60 kilometres.



'From the ISS, the distance to the horizon is over 1,600 kilometres. 'So from horizon to horizon, the section of the Earth you can see at any one time is almost enough to see the entire United States at once.



'It isn't exactly seeing the Earth like a big blue marble, it's more like having your face up against a big blue beach ball.

'If the weather is good and the air is clear, you can see objects as small as half a kilometre in size with your bare eyes. 'With binoculars you can see much smaller objects like ships and individual buildings.'



As well as the cupola, the ISS has several sideward facing windows and an special porthole designed for Earth photography, which has become a favourite of crew members who use a variety of cameras and lenses.

Egypt (centre) and the Sinai Peninsula (bottom right) at night on October 28th



