Lignite surface mines in Germany

Images of the Inden and Hambach lignite surface mines in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, as seen from the International Space Station. ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer posted these images to his social media channels on 10 February 2022 with the caption: "Due to the fact that Germany has been covered in clouds since I've been up here, there hasn't been much to see so far. But a few days ago, there were landmarks jumping into my view: the Inden and Hambach lignite surface mines. Nearby is also the Garzweiler mine which so incredibly deep and wide that that small planes can fly through this huge pit below ground level. A most prominent feature of how humans change our planet."

Visit the Cosmic Kiss mission page to learn more about Matthias’s mission.