Canada is a big country, and to capture the true breadth and majesty of it all, it helps to have a long lens and a point-of-view that’s out of this world.
For as long as people have been sending satellites above the atmosphere and travelling to space, we’ve been capturing amazing imagery of Canada from above. To celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary, we’ve compiled some of our favourite shots from space:
Shot with a hand-held 70mm Hasselblad camera from aboard Skylab 4. Image Credit: NASA https://www.nasa.gov/
Did You Know?
In the 1960’s, astronauts who ventured into space and to the moon took Hasselblad cameras and shot on 70mm film. Finding them a little cumbersome to use at times, NASA began working with Nikon cameras, and have continued to do so to this day.
Canada’s Coast Mountains, the Canadian Rockies and Vancouver Island are shown in this photo, shot with a Nikon D4 and a AF Nikkor 28mm f/1.4D Lens aboard the ISS. Image Credit: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center
Shot with a Nikon D4 and Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 Lens aboard the ISS, this photo includes Writing on Stone Provincial Park, Alberta, and the Canada-US border. Image Credit: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center
An astronaut aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-99) recorded this 70mm image of Hannah Bay, in the southern part of St. James Bay. Image Credit: NASA https://www.nasa.gov/
Taken on June 27, 2012 by a member of Expedition 31 aboard the ISS shows a non-tropical cyclone over northern Saskatchewan. Image Credit: NASA https://www.nasa.gov/
STS-111 crewmembers aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour photographed the site of an impact crater, now known as Manicouagan Reservoir. Image Credit: NASA https://www.nasa.gov/
The Saint Elias Mountains extends through Alaska, Yukon, and British Columbia. Canada’s highest peak – Mount Logan – is shown just left of centre in this image. The Malaspina Glacier is also shown. Image Credit: NASA https://www.nasa.gov/
Photographed by an Expedition 24 crew member on the International Space Station, this image shows the Gaspe Peninsula and Anticosti Island with sun glint on the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Chaleur Bay, Canada. Image Credit: NASA https://www.nasa.gov/
Also taken from the International Space Station, this image of Vancouver was taken on March 31, 2013. Image Credit: NASA https://www.nasa.gov/
Photo of the Great Lakes and south-western Ontario was taken by NASA astronaut Terry Virts on the International Space Station on May 2, 2015. Image Credit: NASA https://www.nasa.gov/
Photo taken during a night pass by the Expedition 40 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Image Credit: NASA https://www.nasa.gov/
This photo of Ellesmere Island, part of the Qikiqtaaluk region of Nunavut, was imaged by NASA Terra spacecraft. Image Credit: NASA https://www.nasa.gov/
Canadian astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield became famous for capturing photos of Earth during his time on the International Space Station. If you haven’t seen it (or haven’t seen it in a while) the Canadian Space Agency released a video of Commander Hadfield discussing photography from the ISS back in 2013.
Want to see more photos of Earth? Check out:
- The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth
- Nasa’s Image Library
- The Canadian Space Agency’s Image Gallery
