Dmitry Kondratyev and Oleg Skripochka are pictured

Dmitry Kondratyev and Oleg Skripochka  are pictured in this image from NASA TV

Konotori 2 carried by a Japanese H-2B rocket

A Japanese H-2B rocket carrying HTV2 transporter, also called Konotori 2

The spiral galaxy NGC 3982, about 68 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.

The spiral galaxy NGC 3982, about 68 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.

A Nasa image of hurricane Igor taken by astronauts on board the International Space Station

A Nasa image of hurricane Igor taken by astronauts on board the International Space Station

A crescent moon above Earth's horizon

A crescent moon above Earth's horizon is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 24 crew member on the International Space Station

Atronaut sends amazing pictures back to Earth via twitter

 Polar Mesospheric Clouds

The Isles of Greece during a clear night pass over Europe

Hurricane Danielle

"Another breathtaking sunset..."

A spectacular solar flare erupts on the surface of the sun producing a solar flare and a fantastic prominence.

A spectacular solar flare erupts on the surface of the sun producing a solar flare and a fantastic prominence.

The Hubble Space Telescope spots an unusual spiral nebula around the star LL Pegasi.

The Hubble Space Telescope spots an unusual spiral nebula around the star LL Pegasi. 

Astronomers at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) site in Chile fire a powerful laser into space

Astronomers at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) site in Chile fire a powerful laser into space to measure the distortions of Earth's ever changing atmosphere

The eye of Hurricane Earl is seen in this photo taken from the International Space Station

The eye of Hurricane Earl is seen in this photo taken from the International Space Station

10 Stunning Pictures From Space

 These spiraling cloud patterns, caused when prevailing ocean winds encounter an island, are known as von Karman vortices or 'vortex streets'.

Electric blue-coloured plankton blooms swirl in the North Atlantic ocean off Ireland

Phytoplankton 

The Tuamotu Archipelago a part of French Polynesia.

 the Taklimakan desert, China

 The western end of the Samoan Island chain lies Savai'i.

Hurricane Danielle churns in the Atlantic Ocean

Cape Kazantip

Aqua satellite detected 148,946 fires in this image

Cloudless skies allow a clear view of dust and hydrogen sulfide plumes along the coast of Namibia

A picture from the Cassini spacecraft,shows Saturn and its nearly invisible rings.

A picture from the Cassini spacecraft,shows Saturn and its nearly invisible rings.

Hurricane Earl is seen in the Atlantic Ocean as seen from space

Hurricane Earl is seen in the Atlantic Ocean as seen from space
 image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

A section of Australia's Great Barrier Reef down to Earth from the International Space Station

A section of Australia's Great Barrier Reef down to Earth from the International Space Station

Stunning image of Hurricane Earl from space

Stunning image of Hurricane Earl from space.  

Amazing Photo of the Earth's horizon and the blackness of space taken from from a homemade balloon

Amazing Photo of the Earth's horizon and the blackness of space taken from a homemade balloon

The Earth and Moon taken from 114 million miles away

The Earth and Moon taken from 114 million miles away 

The eruption of a galactic super-volcano in the massive galaxy M87

The eruption of a galactic super-volcano in the massive galaxy M87; at a distance of about 50 million light years, M87 is relatively close to Earth

The Nebula IRAS 05437 2502 is seen in this Hubble Space Telescope

The Nebula IRAS 05437 2502 is seen in this Hubble Space Telescope

A star-forming cloud teeming with gas, dust and massive newborn stars

 A star-forming cloud teeming with gas, dust and massive newborn stars - An infrared image taken by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)