This Is What A Year On Earth Looks Like

If you’ve ever wondered what the sunlit world looks like over the course of a year from one million miles away, then good news: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center released a video to YouTube on Wednesday that speeds through an entire year on Earth in the span of just under three minutes.

The DSCOVR satellite has been circling Earth for over a year now, and thanks to its crystal-clear camera, those of us living firmly on the ground can finally take in the expansive views astronauts have been enjoying for years. Stationed between our planet and the sun at a location scientists refer to as Lagrange point 1, DSCOVR is programmed to take photos every two hours. Stitched together in a time-lapse video, the view is awe-inspiring to say the least.

According to Engadget, NASA and NOAA joined forces to launch the project, and with a little help from SpaceX, they’re able to monitor solar wind conditions. Thanks to DSCOVR’s images and measurements, us land-lovers can develop a better understanding of coronal mass ejections, the ozone layer, and the state of the world’s vegetation without ever having to leave the lab.

Watch the video for yourself above to inject a little perspective into your weekday.