Night view from orbit: Mediterranean coasts aglow

Timelapse footage recorded aboard the International Space Station shows the dark surface of the Mediterranean framed by the lights of coastal cities, with a thin greenish band of atmosphere on the horizon.

As the station travels east, the coastline becomes a ribbon of light and large cities stand out as bright clusters. Part of the station is visible at the edge of the frame.

Night-time imagery like this is also used to study how human settlements are spread across the planet.