Sunrise from the International Space Station Today’s Video of the Day from the European Space Agency (ESA) features the captivating timelapse of a sunrise as it is appears from the International Space Station (ISS).
According to the ESA, the space station encounters 16 sunrises and sunsets every single day, which is due to the fact that the ISS completes an orbit around the Earth every 90 minutes.
These photos were captured by German astronaut Alexander Gerst at a rate of two images per second. The International Space Station travels at a brisk 17,100 miles per hour. That means it orbits Earth every 90 minutes—so it sees a sunrise every 90 minutes. Thus, every day, the residents of the ISS witness 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets.
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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer
Video Credit: European Space Agency