This magnificent night image of the greater New York City metropolitan area was taken by one of the lucky Expedition 35 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station. This particular 400 millimeter photo was taken on March 23, 2013.

For orientation purposes, note that Manhattan runs horizontal through the frame from left to the midpoint. Central Park is just a little to the left of frame center.

The lucky astronauts living in the International Space Station at 400 kilometer above the surface enjoy great views of our Blue Planet, circling over different regions with a speed of about 25,000 kilometer per hour. The best place for sightseeing is the Cupola module, with its seven window observatory. Its name derives from the Italian word cupola, which means "dome", and sports the largest window of the space station.