More photos from space<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>- Ireland from space<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/li>
- Northern Europe at night from space<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/li>
- Grand Canyon from space<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/li>
- Great Barrier Reef from space<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li><\/ul><\/div>
Credit: NASA\/ESA\/Terry Virts<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>![\"A](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/10\/thames-estuary.jpg\")
A view of the Thames Estuary, the mouth of the River Thames, captured by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on the Landsat 8 satellite, 28 April 2013. Click to expand. NASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey.<\/figcaption><\/figure>There are some fantastic images of showing a good portion of the River Thames flowing through Greater London captured from space, like the view below captured by the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Sentinel mission in February 2019.<\/p>
You can really see how the river widens as it approaches and flows through Greater London, then even more as it winds towards the mouth at the Thames Estuary.<\/p>![\"ESA](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/10\/river-thames-from-space-03.jpg\")
ESA Copernicus Sentinel view of Greater London and the River Thames, captured February 2019. Click to expand. Credit: Frank Ramspott\/NASA\/ESA\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>Another spectacular view of the Thames through Greater London is the false-colour image below, captured back in 1979.<\/p>
The Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough, UK used Landsat satellite data to produce this image.<\/p>![\"A](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/10\/river-thames-from-space-02.jpg\")
A view of Greater London in 1979, showing the River Thames flowing through the region. This false-colour image was processed using Landsat satellite data by the Space Department at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, UK. Click to expand. Photo by Oxford Science Archive\/Print Collector\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>An even wider view of the River Thames from space comes courtesy of the image below, produced using Landsat data captured on 19 June 2000.<\/p>
In this image, it’s difficult to make out the body of the Thames until we get to the section that flows through Greater London.<\/p>
The comparative size of the estuary on the right-hand side of the image puts across just how spectacular the river mouth is.<\/p>![\"LANDSAT](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/10\/river-thames-from-space-01.jpg\")
LANDSAT 7 data was used to create this satellite image of the River Thames flowing through London, captured on 19 June 2000. Click to expand. Photo by Planet Observer\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>Let’s take a look at a more close-up image of the River Thames captured by a satellite.<\/p>
Can you guess what the oval-shaped object in the centre of the image is?<\/p>![\"DigitalGlobe](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/10\/river-thames-london-eye-from-space.jpg\")
DigitalGlobe satellite image of London showing the River Thames and the London Eye, 1 October 2021. Click to expand. Photo: DigitalGlobe via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>It’s the famous London Eye attraction on the banks of the Thames. The ferris-wheel structure can clearly be seen by the shadow cast onto the river at the 10 o’clock mark.<\/p>
Astronaut images of the River Thames<\/strong><\/h2>But it’s not just satellites that have given us views of the River Thames from space.<\/p>
Astronauts onboard the International Space Station are constantly capturing views of Earth using digital cameras.<\/p>
London and the River Thames being instantly recognisable, they’re an obvious target for a photograph captured from space.<\/p>
The image below was captured by ESA astronaut Andr\u00e9 Kuipers and shows London at night.<\/p>![\"The](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/10\/london-thames-by-night-scaled.jpg\")
The River Thames and London at night, captured by ESA astronaut Andr\u00e9 Kuipers from the International Space Station with the NightPod tracking mount. Click to expand. Credit: ESA\/NASA<\/figcaption><\/figure>Images like these of cities at night reveal the extent of light pollution<\/a> in built-up areas.<\/p>You can see why it might be difficult to get a clear view of the starry night sky from the centre of London.<\/p>
Note, too, the clearly-defined ring road that surrounds London, visible as a thin, orange circular structure.<\/p>
A similar view below also shows London and the River Thames at night. This too was captured from the International Space Station.<\/p>![\"View](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/10\/river-thames-from-space-04.jpg\")
View of London and the River Thames at night, as seen from the International Space Station. Click to expand. Credit: NASA<\/figcaption><\/figure>A word on Eastenders<\/strong><\/h2>Any UK readers looking at pictures of the River Thames from space will likely be instantly reminded of the title sequence from the long-running BBC soap opera Eastenders<\/a>, which follows the lives of the residents of the fictional Albert Square in London’s East End.<\/p>The title sequence presents us with a close-up view of the River Thames that proceeds to zoom out for the duration of the opening credits, before ending on a wide shot of the river just before the episode begins.<\/p>
There are some fantastic images of showing a good portion of the River Thames flowing through Greater London captured from space, like the view below captured by the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Sentinel mission in February 2019.<\/p>
You can really see how the river widens as it approaches and flows through Greater London, then even more as it winds towards the mouth at the Thames Estuary.<\/p> Another spectacular view of the Thames through Greater London is the false-colour image below, captured back in 1979.<\/p> The Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough, UK used Landsat satellite data to produce this image.<\/p> An even wider view of the River Thames from space comes courtesy of the image below, produced using Landsat data captured on 19 June 2000.<\/p> In this image, it’s difficult to make out the body of the Thames until we get to the section that flows through Greater London.<\/p> The comparative size of the estuary on the right-hand side of the image puts across just how spectacular the river mouth is.<\/p> Let’s take a look at a more close-up image of the River Thames captured by a satellite.<\/p> Can you guess what the oval-shaped object in the centre of the image is?<\/p> It’s the famous London Eye attraction on the banks of the Thames. The ferris-wheel structure can clearly be seen by the shadow cast onto the river at the 10 o’clock mark.<\/p> But it’s not just satellites that have given us views of the River Thames from space.<\/p> Astronauts onboard the International Space Station are constantly capturing views of Earth using digital cameras.<\/p> London and the River Thames being instantly recognisable, they’re an obvious target for a photograph captured from space.<\/p> The image below was captured by ESA astronaut Andr\u00e9 Kuipers and shows London at night.<\/p> Images like these of cities at night reveal the extent of light pollution<\/a> in built-up areas.<\/p> You can see why it might be difficult to get a clear view of the starry night sky from the centre of London.<\/p> Note, too, the clearly-defined ring road that surrounds London, visible as a thin, orange circular structure.<\/p> A similar view below also shows London and the River Thames at night. This too was captured from the International Space Station.<\/p> Any UK readers looking at pictures of the River Thames from space will likely be instantly reminded of the title sequence from the long-running BBC soap opera Eastenders<\/a>, which follows the lives of the residents of the fictional Albert Square in London’s East End.<\/p> The title sequence presents us with a close-up view of the River Thames that proceeds to zoom out for the duration of the opening credits, before ending on a wide shot of the river just before the episode begins.<\/p>Astronaut images of the River Thames<\/strong><\/h2>
A word on Eastenders<\/strong><\/h2>