10 Awesome Images of the Space Station's Cupola

By Elizabeth Howell - February 19, 2013 02:36 PM UTC | Space Exploration

There's a panoramic window on the International Space Station named after the observation decks that old-time train cabooses had.

The Cupola, as it's known, includes six side windows and a big one in the center. An astronaut floating nearby can see 1,000 km of Earth below him or her. It's the ultimate spot to keep an eye on a hurricane, or provide guidance to a crewmate wrestling the robotic Canadarm2 towards an incoming spacecraft.

Hard to believe it's been three years since the astronauts on STS-130 installed it in February 2010. Below, check out the best of astronaut photography of or from the Cupola since that time.

A green tint from an aurora is seen out the Cupola over the southern Indian Ocean. Credit: NASA

Canadarm2 makes some moves towards Japan's robotic H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV-3) during Expedition 32. Credit: NASA

The Cupola provides a portal to 215 million years in the past: The Manicouagan impact crater in northern Québec shows up nearly in the center of the main Cupola window. Credit: NASA

NASA astronaut Ron Garan looking down at a night view of Australia from the International Space Station's cupola..

There have also been some stunning filmed timelapses from the Cupola, such as this one:

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