
Incredible aerial shots show mega-cities of the world illuminated like an electric grid by a British airline pilot who has travelled the equivalent of ten round trips to the moon.

Taken from the flight deck, the stunning photos show some of the most recognisable places in the world from an-above earthly perspective.

Dubai, Bangkok, Tokyo and New York are among the collection of images outlined in bright orange, blue, green and white lights.

West Bay in Qatar looks mesmerising from above in one of pilot Jon Bowles' spectacular photos from above

This photo shows Dubai at night, with the Burj Khalifa clearly visible along its skyline, populated by tall buildings

As well as the cities below, the flight deck of the Boeing 777 is lit up, but it doesn't detract from the views outside

Captain Jon Bowles, 55, from Bolton, UK, has amassed these jaw-dropping pictures over the past five years during night-flights that span the globe. A seasoned pilot, Jon Bowles has racked up an astounding five million air miles during his 36-year career as a pilot.

'I look for shapes in the cities, light areas, dark areas and patterns in the way the city is laid out,' said Jon. 'Older cities tend to radiate out of the centre, with ring roads and spokes running into the centre.

'These older cities sometimes look like huge fluorescent growths on the countryside, with tendrils spreading out from the nucleus.

'Newer cities tend to be arranged in grids, but these can have interesting patterns where the local topography has dictated the growth of urban areas.

'Largely, the cities I photograph are dictated by the routes flown, the weather and how the city looks from the air.'

This shows the Palm of Dubai from the skies, the circular development extending into the seas of the UAE country

Kuwait is heavily orange in this stunning photo shot at night as a Boeing 777 soars above the Middle Eastern country

The vibrancy of Bangkok is clear to see in this picture. It's proof that despite shooting from behind glass, beauty can still be captured

The size of New York is beautifully demonstrated from this shot taken above Queens as the Boeing roars on by

Jon pilots a Boeing 777, sometimes known as the Triple Seven, which is a group of long range wide body twin engine jet airliners. They are the largest twinjets and have a capacity of up to 451 passengers, with a range of up to 9,500 nautical miles.

'There is no danger involved in taking the shots, I only shoot at times of low workload, or occasionally from the jump-seat,' said Jon.

'Shooting through glass has some limitations, distortion can be a problem.

'Also the glass needs to be clean. I have been known to clean the windows myself before a flight.

Dubai at night: The Palm Jumeirah, home to the Aquaventure beach, is easy to spot to the right of the shot

Hamad International Airport, Doha, Qatar. A seasoned pilot, Jon Bowles has racked up an astounding five million air miles during his 36-year career as a pilot

An aerial view of Budapest, Hungary. The incredible aerial shots show mega-cities of the world illuminated like an electric grid

With a perfect contrast of lights and electricity, and mountains, this is a view of the city of Sandanaj, Iran

'Turbulence makes photography impractical, so I only shoot in still air.

'I love how different the world looks at night. I especially enjoy flying at night with no moon and a sky full of stars.

'I love seeing storms flickering in the distance, remote settlements sparkling in the desert, seeing the aurora when it's active. I also like the lights of cities from above. One of the things I love most about flying, whether by day or night, is how it puts things in perspective.

Captain Jon Bowles, 55, from Bolton, UK, has amassed these jaw-dropping pictures over the past five years during night-flights

A picture showing a view of Kuwait from the flight deck as the airliner descends into the city

This special shot shows Tokyo, Japan. The stunning photos show some of the most recognisable places in the world

An aerial view of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The British airline pilot has travelled the equivalent of ten round trips to the moon

'When you see the planet from above, you tend to appreciate the world we live on more. It's too easy to get stuck in your immediate environment, to forget that there is a whole planet out there, and that most of our day to day worries are trivial when seen in a planetary context.

'The footprint of the human race on planet Earth is also a message I like to show with my photography.

'At night over heavily populated areas the massive impact of urbanisation on the planet is even more obvious than during the day.'

Cairo, Egypt. The photographer says he aims to show 'the footprint of the human race on planet Earth'

Buenos Aires under cloud cover. Jon Bowles says that by flying in light, things around the world are 'put into perspective'

Nanning in southern China is under some cloud cover as the aeroplane approaches, but the lights of the city still shine through