Planet Earth in full view can be a beautiful and inspiring sight. Satellites located in stationary positions around the Earth’s orbit capture stunning close-up images of the planet. This edited timelapse recording presents some of the best of these, showing the Earth in infrared light. They give a glimpse into spatial phenomena, including the fluid motion of water vapour in the atmosphere.

The video includes views from two satellites. The first, GOES-13 centered over the Pacific Ocean, begins at 40 seconds. The second, GOES-15 centered over Central America, begins at 2:25. Credit: YouTube/James Tyrwhitt-Drake