Live streaming video by Ustream
Forget the panda cam — here’s a live stream that’s far out.
Thanks to NASA’s new High Definition Earth Viewing experiment, Earthlings can catch an awe-inspiring view of their home planet broadcast directly from the International Space Station. The experiment includes four high-definition cameras that were attached to the exterior of the space station and transmit real-time video back down to Earth.
While the live-stream is astronomically entertaining, it has a serious purpose. Scientists are trying to determine how well Earth-facing cameras will fare when exposed to the harsh radiation of space. They’re getting a little help from high school students through the High Schools United with NASA to Create Hardware program. These students were involved in designing some of the cameras and will help operate the experiment daily.
The feed will shift between the four cameras throughout the day. Don’t panic if the screen goes as dark as a black hole — that just means the space station is temporarily on the night side of the Earth. But space lovers can still nerd out on updates from the station’s crew members and a map that tracks the station’s precise location.