NASA reveals its top 20 photos of Earth from 2020

From ground level, Earth wasn’t a great place to be in 2020. From outer space, however, it looked as beautiful as ever. NASA just released its 20 favorite images taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station throughout the past year.

According to NASA, “The men and women who live and work on the International Space Station take thousands of photographs of their home planet every year, and we asked the folks at the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit at NASA’s Johnson Space Center for a few of their favorites from 2020.”

All of these photos were taken using a Nikon D4 or D5 camera, with several interchangeable lenses to capture unique perspectives. From documenting the fall colors of Ottawa, Canada, to the Australian sunrise, the photos capture Earth’s natural beauty.

Cuba and the Bahamas

Photo: NASA

Cooper Creek, Australia

Photo: NASA

Corsica in Sunglint

Photo: NASA

Dust over Cyprus

Photo: NASA

Fall colors near Ottawa, Canada

Photo: NASA

The Great Lakes

Photo: NASA

Kerguelen Islands

Photo: NASA

Wind farms on Maui

Photo: NASA

Moonrise over the southern Atlantic Ocean

Photo: NASA

Lakes and fires, southern Kenya

Photo: NASA

Sunrise over Great Australian Bight

Photo: NASA

Paris at night

Photo: NASA

Flooding along the Nile in Sudan

Photo: NASA

New Zealand

Photo: NASA

Terminator over western Australia

Photo: NASA

Airglow above the western Indian Ocean

Photo: NASA

Dust plume over southern Argentina

Photo: NASA

Reefs of Moindou Bay, New Caledonia

Photo: NASA

Cloud swirl above the northern Sahara Desert

Photo: NASA

Earth and moon from Crew Dragon

Photo: NASA