In low Earth orbit, everything depends on your perspective. Depending on where and how you look, the Earth can either look like a giant sphere spinning beneath you, or it can feel like it's floating above your head, as in this shot.

Astronaut @astro_pettit took this impressive photo from the dome window on the International Space Station (ISS) on March 15, 2025. In the image, city lights and drifting clouds appear as if they are passing through the sky.

When Don Pettit captured this shot, the station was orbiting about 420 km (261 miles) above the state of Kansas.

Image description:

In this photo, a thin aurora dances above Earth's horizon while city lights dot the cloudy Midwestern landscape. In the lower foreground are the Open Facilities of the Kibo laboratory module, an external research platform and the main solar arrays of the orbital outpost.

 

Credit: NASA

Isn't it beautiful?