Timelapse video made during ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet’s second mission to the International Space Station, “Alpha”. The camera is setup to take pictures at intervalsof two a second, and the pictures are then edited into this video that plays at 25 pictures a second. The video is around 12 times faster than real speed.

Thomas shared this video on social media with the caption:

“ Often when we look out of the windows it is not immediately obvious what part of Earth we are flying over. Can you tell? Don't get distracted by the Moonrise!"

The timelapse starts with the International Space Station flying over Baja, California, and continuing down the western coast of South America.

Over 200 experiments are planned during Thomas’ time in space,with 40 European ones and 12 new experiments led by the French space agency CNES.

Latest updates on the Alpha mission can be found via @esaspaceflighton Twitter, with more details on ESA’s exploration blog via thomaspesquet.esa.int.

Background information on the Alpha mission is available at www.esa.int/MissionAlphawith a brochure at www.esa.int/AlphaBrochure.