In the life-changing and unparalleled occurrences that took place in 2020, the Universe appeared magnificent as ever from outer space.
Astronauts have snapped away from the International Space Station (ISS) and NASA astronauts Peggy Whitson and Jack Fischer have live-streamed a 4K ultra-high-definition technology transmission from the International Space Station. NASA then shared the next-gen standard footage for the first time in its websites.
IN SPACE: In this handout from NASA/ESA, an artist's concept illustrates a quasar, or feeding black hole. NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) revealed millions of potential black holes in its survey of the sky in 2011. The WISE telescope, which ceased operation is February of 2011 after it ran out of coolant to keep its electronics cool, made the full sky image and was released to the public in March with hopes of astronomers making discoveries.
Five of our galaxy's favorite videos captured over many years are below:
Europe from Orbit in 4K
NASA gives you the opportunity to visit southern Europe for only three minutes with this clip. Obviously, that's all the time it takes when you have a 4K camera circling the Planet from 250 miles upwards. In August 2016, this ultra-high-definition footage was filmed while the International Space Station flew almost 1,000 miles, capturing images of Austria, Iberian Peninsula, Italy, southern Germany, Switzerland, the west coast of France, and southern countries of Balkan Peninsula.
The Sound (& Visions) of Silence
Russian astronaut Sergey Ryazansky shared with all our fellow travelers in this video the incomparable quiet beauty of our world. In this collection, he shot the video alongside American Commander Randy Bresnik and Italian ISS citizen Paolo Nespoli. Set to Disturbed's "The Sound of Silence" by Paul Simon, this 4K video shows you incredible Earth footage between August to October 2017 from the International Space Station in low-earth orbit.
Mercury Transit 2019 in 4K
This is a beautiful quick clip to see to bring the Universe's sheer size home. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory observed as Mercury flew around the Sun on November 11, 2019 (11/11/19). What is intriguing is how small Mercury appears portrayed against the star. Mercury, measuring about 3,000 miles in diameter, is the tiny planet in our solar system, but in this footage, it seems like mere marble. The clip loops over the range of light wavelengths recorded in the case by the Solar Dynamics Observatory.
Stunning Ultra-High-Definition Aurora Borealis from Orbit
The spectacular Northern Lights phenomena would be something many of us would only hope of being blessed enough to experience in person. However, we will appreciate one of the finest views from our own homes on Earth because of the International Space Station's UHD camera. This brief video utilizes time-lapses taken from the International Space Station, which displays the phenomenon of both the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis that arise as electrically charged electrons and protons clash with neutral atoms in the upper atmosphere in the Earth's magnetic field.
NASA 4K View of the 17th of April Solar Flare
A mid-level solar flare was emitted by an active area on the sun's right side on April 17, 2016. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, a satellite from NASA's Living With a Star program that has been studying the sun since 2010, caught this occurrence. This video is exceptional since the flare was filmed in many wavelengths of intense ultraviolet light, which is normally opaque to our eyes but is seen for easier viewing in multiple color-coded videos in Solar Dynamics Observatory images. (In a separate light range, each uniquely shaded compilation you see was collected.) The video is followed by Greg Lehrman's aptly titled song "Collide."
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