Here are a few masterfully created videos of our Earth, the Moon, the Sun and other planets, showing the majesty and fragile beauty of our planet and nearby worlds, as seen from space.
The videos are crafted from images captured by various NASA spacecraft and set to tastefully selected music.
Project these videos on a large screen, sit back, admire and meditate on the beauty of Earth and space. Use it to relax and to recharge for the tasks ahead of us.
Earth
Seán Doran, the creator of the first video named Orbit, writes -
Orbit is a real time reconstruction of time lapse photography taken on board the International Space Station by NASA's Earth Science & Remote Sensing Unit. The structure of the film is built around a nested selection of Phaeleh's last three albums; Lost Time, Illusion of the Tale & Somnus. The tone & pacing of each track influenced the choice of material used. The length of the film is exactly the length of time it takes ISS to orbit the Earth once, 92 minutes & 39 seconds.
Here is a similar video made by NASA astronaut Jeff Williams during his mission on the International Space Station in 2016. NASA suggests — “Fire up the biggest screen you have. Then throw on your favorite music, kick back and watch.”
Moonlit Earth
Seán Doran created this short and serene video of a moonlit Earth from data collected by ISS expedition 53 on November 5, 2017. Music: ‘Kangaru’ by Jóhann Jóhannsson.
The Moon
This Seán Doran video of the surface of the Moon, uses data collected by the NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Music ‘Lux Aeterna' by György Ligeti.
The Sun
This is another favorite — a mesmerizing time lapse video of the Sun, a view in plain sight but outside our realm of experience. Music “Deep Venture” by Lars Leonhard.
Mars
Next up, an exhilarating flyover across Mars, made by Seán Doran, using data from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Music by Franz Schubert 'Polonaise for Violin and Orchestra', performed by the Prague Symphony Orchestra.
Jupiter
This amazing time-lapse video of Jupiter, was created by Seán Doran from images taken by the Juno spacecraft in its 9th flyby (perijove) of Jupiter. Music 'Orphic Hymn' by Jóhann Jóhannsson, performed by Theatre of Voices.
Seán Doran has quite a collection of similar videos on YouTube. So do many others. Explore them at your leisure.
The Solar System
For something beyond Earth and beyond the limits of our own space and time, here is another favorite — an inspiring futuristic short film by Erik Wernquist, with music by Cristian Sandquist.
Wanderers is a vision of humanity's expansion into the Solar System, based on scientific ideas and concepts of what our future in space might look like, if it ever happens. The locations depicted in the film are digital recreations of actual places in the Solar System, built from real photos and map data where available.
Without any apparent story, other than what you may fill in by yourself, the idea of the film is primarily to show a glimpse of the fantastic and beautiful nature that surrounds us on our neighboring worlds - and above all, how it might appear to us if we were there.
.. with kind permission from Ann Druyan I have also borrowed the voice of astronomer and author Carl Sagan to narrate the film.
Here is a 30-minute loop of the Wanderers video without the narrative.
Epilogue
Let’s use these videos to relax and meditate, to step away from the daily madness of the world around us, to raise our awareness, and to recharge our batteries for the journeys ahead.
Let’s also share this perspective with others, including our friends and family who lean Republican; perhaps it might change a few minds.