The majesty of storms from SPACE: Stunning video reveals multiple lightning strikes in Romania seen from the ISS

  • Esa has revealed an amazing video of 49 images stitched together showing lightning strikes over Eastern Romania
  • The images were taken by Dutch astronaut André Kuipers on the ISS in 2012 but have only just been released
  • They were taken using the Nightpod camera - which automatically matches the station's movement to reduce blur
  • While lightning on Earth seems rare, from space many more strikes can be seen in vast cloud systems
  • Another image shows the entirety of Earth looking like a toy as the lightning-filled cloud is spotted below 

By Jonathan O'Callaghan for MailOnline

Published: 08:57 EST, 28 January 2015 | Updated: 12:13 EST, 28 January 2015

You’ve seen images of Earth from the ISS, but one astronaut has set the bar to a new height with his shots of storms taken from above.

Esa has released stunning pictures and video of lightning captured by a Dutch astronaut while on the International Space Station 255 miles (410km) above Earth.

And one image makes Earth look more like a toy than a planet - as the landscape of Earth is revealed around a huge flash of lightning. 

Esa has revealed an amazing video of 49 images stitched together showing lightning strikes over Eastern Romania. The images were taken by Dutch astronaut André Kuipers in 2012 but have only just been released

Esa has revealed an amazing video of 49 images stitched together showing lightning strikes over Eastern Romania. The images were taken by Dutch astronaut André Kuipers in 2012 but have only just been released

The incredible series of images were captured by astronaut André Kuipers on the ISS on 11 June 2012, during Expedition 31. 

The lightning was captured over Eastern Romania at about 8:55pm UTC, and a video was made by stitching together 49 images taken on the ISS while travelling at 27,600 km/h (17,100 mph).

Estimates suggest that 100 discharges can occur between the system of clouds and the surface of Earth each second, causing many lightning strikes, so for astronauts seeing such a sight is not all too rare.

As the clouds are so vast, however, they are not always visible from the surface. But from the ISS the lightning is much more visible - and when astronauts orbit Earth, they can often spot lightning in clouds from above.

As Esa explains, though, capturing images from the ISS at a height of 255 miles (410km) can be difficult.

‘At these distances a camera flash is pointless to take night-time images of Earth, but our planet moves by so quickly images can end up being blurred,’ they said.

To help astronauts take images, they use something called a Nightpod camera. This uses a tripod system and is installed in the Cupola module of the ISS. Astronauts can then move it using motors to point at different locations on Earth.

When the camera is pointed at a target on Earth, it will automatically compensate for the movement of the station, ensuring the image remains steady and clear.

Nightpod actually flew with Kuipers to the ISS when he launched in December 2011, making him one of the first astronauts that got to use it on the ISS.

Kuipers mission at the time was also especially notable, because in May he welcomed the first ever private spacecraft to the ISS - SpaceX’s Dragon. He was actually responsible for berthing the vehicle to the ISS at the time - the first person in history to dock a private spacecraft.

While seeing lightning from Earth is somewhat rare, from space many more strikes can be seen. This image shows the entirety of Earth looking like a toy (pictured) as the lightning-filled cloud is spotted below. To the top left is the light of the sun in Earth's atmosphere

While seeing lightning from Earth is somewhat rare, from space many more strikes can be seen. This image shows the entirety of Earth looking like a toy (pictured) as the lightning-filled cloud is spotted below. To the top left is the light of the sun in Earth's atmosphere

The images were taken using the Nightpod camera - illustrated - which automatically matches the station's movement to reduce blur
Dutch astronaut Kuipers is pictured right on the ISS with the Nightpod camera in 2012

The images were taken using the Nightpod camera - illustrated left - which automatically matches the station's movement to reduce blur. Dutch astronaut Kuipers is pictured right on the ISS with the camera in 2012

These latest pictures follow amazing images of lighting in the eye of a cyclone revealed earlier this week, also captured by an astronaut on the ISS. The incredible views of tropical cyclone Bansi were spotted in the Indian Ocean near the island of Mauritius, when the ISS was east of Madagascar.

In the images the calm ‘eye’ of the storm can be seen illuminated by lightning and surrounded by swirling clouds as it made its way across the ocean.

They were taken by Italian European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti aboard the ISS earlier this month.

An Italian astronaut on the ISS captured images of a cyclone on Earth. Tropical cyclone Bansi was spotted in the Indian Ocean by Esa's Samantha Cristoforetti while the ISS was east of Madagascar. The images show flashes of lighting illuminating the eye of the storm (shown) as the astronauts passed overhead

An Italian astronaut on the ISS captured images of a cyclone on Earth. Tropical cyclone Bansi was spotted in the Indian Ocean by Esa's Samantha Cristoforetti while the ISS was east of Madagascar. The images show flashes of lighting illuminating the eye of the storm (shown) as the astronauts passed overhead

WHAT IS A TROPICAL CYCLONE? 

Tropical cyclones are low pressure systems that develop in the tropics in the Southern Hemisphere. They produce gale force winds of about 39mph (63km/h) on average and rotate in a clockwise direction.

If the winds reach 73mph (118km/h), the system is called a severe tropical cyclone. The strongest winds are always near the eye, but damaging winds can extend hundreds of kilometres from the cyclone’s centre.

Cyclones form in warm oceans when sea-surface temperature exceeds 26.5C and there are favourable wind conditions.

They can persist for several days but lose their energy when they move over land or colder oceans, or are disrupted by other wind.

They show the swirling motion of the storm around the central blue eye.

According to Nasa, the wall of the eye is being illuminated by a flash of lightning in the centre of the storm - which also lights up nearby clouds.

The low-light settings of the camera used to take the image accentuate the contrast.

‘It looks like the storm is powering up some sort of weapon!’ said Phil Plate at Slate.

One image also shows a thin green line over the horizon known as airglow, which occurs when oxygen atoms are energised by the sun.

The camera again accentuates this effect, which is an atmospheric phenomenon frequently seen by astronauts.

Stars appear above the airglow layer, and the solar panels of a docked Russian spacecraft jut into the image.

Tropical cyclone Bansi formed in the southwestern Indian Ocean on 11 January this year.

By the time Cristoforetti's photos were taken, on the following day, Bansi had achieved tropical cyclone strength, with sustained maximum winds over 115 miles (185km) per hour.

The cyclone would reach category 4 strength before becoming a weak extra-tropical system on 19 January. 

Tropical cyclone Bansi formed in the southwestern Indian Ocean on 11 January this year, just off the coast of Madagascar (shown). The cyclone reached category 4 strength (shown in orange and red) before becoming a weak extra-tropical system on 19 January (right in blue)

Tropical cyclone Bansi formed in the southwestern Indian Ocean on 11 January this year, just off the coast of Madagascar (shown). The cyclone reached category 4 strength (shown in orange and red) before becoming a weak extra-tropical system on 19 January (right in blue)

Another image by Cristoforetti (shown) also revealed a green line of 'airglow' above Earth near the cyclone, with part of a Russian spacecraft also in the image. Airglow occurs when oxygen atoms are energised by the sun. Bansi formed on 11 January and became a tropical cyclone before weakening by 19 January

Another image by Cristoforetti (shown) also revealed a green line of 'airglow' above Earth near the cyclone, with part of a Russian spacecraft also in the image. Airglow occurs when oxygen atoms are energised by the sun. Bansi formed on 11 January and became a tropical cyclone before weakening by 19 January

Esa astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, pictured, was born in Milan, Italy on 26 April 1977. She was selected as an Esa astronaut in May 2009 and, on 23 November 2014, she launched on her first mission to the ISS aboard a Soyuz spacecraft as part of Expedition 42

Esa astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, pictured, was born in Milan, Italy on 26 April 1977. She was selected as an Esa astronaut in May 2009 and, on 23 November 2014, she launched on her first mission to the ISS aboard a Soyuz spacecraft as part of Expedition 42

On 15 January at 6.15am UTC (1.15am EST), Nasa's Terra satellite captured this visible picture of tropical cyclone Bansi east-northeast of the island of Mauritius

On 15 January at 6.15am UTC (1.15am EST), Nasa's Terra satellite captured this visible picture of tropical cyclone Bansi east-northeast of the island of Mauritius

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