Social media users were in for a treat recently, thanks to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s latest photos. The American space agency shared some exquisite images of Earth, giving us a look at the natural systems of the planet. The pictures were taken from the vantage point of the International Space Station (ISS) by NASA astronauts, the caption said. Sharing the pictures on Instagram, NASA wrote that the photos showed the natural systems of land, water, ice, and air “connecting to each other” to bring life on the planet. The caption read: “No matter whether we are on land or in space, we are unified by this tiny blue planet — and that’s something to celebrate.”

The first photo in the series is of Bombetoka Bay in Madagascar. An identical photo of the bay was posted by NASA in April, last year. Describing it, the caption read, “On the northwestern coast of Madagascar, the salty waters of the Mozambique Channel flow inland joining the freshwater outflow of the Betsiboka River, forming Bombetoka Bay…The sapphire water is tinged with pink where sediment is particularly thick, and dense vegetation adds a rich green pigment to the landscape.”

Bombetoka Bay in Madagascar
Photo Credit: Instagram/ NASA

The second image was that of Richat Structure in Mauritania. Measuring about 40 km in diameter, the Richat Structure is one of the peculiar features of the Sahara desert and has been recognised and observed by astronauts from outer space for long.

Richat Structure in Mauritania
Photo Credit: Instagram/ NASA

This was followed by an image of the Everglades of South Florida. Everglades is a natural region of tropical wetlands, 20 percent of which is protected by the Everglades National Park. With its unique ecosystem, it has found its place as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an International Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of International Importance.

Everglades of South Florida
Photo Credit: Instagram/ NASA

The final photo in the series was that of the frozen Dnieper river in Europe. A blog post by NASA said that the image was captured by European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet, from ISS on February 9, 2017. About the photo, Thomas said, “Winter landscapes are also magical from the International Space Station: this river north of Kiev reminds me of a Hokusai painting.”

Frozen Wild Dnieper River in Europe
Photo Credit: Instagram/ NASA

Instagram users were extremely impressed with the photographs and left appreciative messages in the comment section. One user wrote, “NASA speaking truths as always!”

Another comment read, “Amazing, stunning pictures. Thanks for sharing, as a reminder for us…how beautiful is Earth.”

Tell us your thoughts on the photos.

Is OnePlus 9R old wine in a new bottle — or something more? We discussed this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Later (starting at 23:00), we talk about the new OnePlus Watch. Orbital is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.