--- title: Astronaut Jeff Williams' Best Photos of Earth from Space description: Jeff Williams spent over 500 days in space, capturing spectacular photos of Earth. Here are some of his best photos canonical: https://time.com/4466572/jeff-williams-astronaut-photos-space/ author: Marisa Gertz article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-09-06T10:00:29.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-13T03:31:14.000Z article:section: Science og:title: See One Astronaut's Stunning Photos of Earth From Space og:description: Jeff Williams spent more than 500 days aboard the International Space Station og:url: https://time.com/4466572/jeff-williams-astronaut-photos-space/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte9d6fe25019f2d0d/6988a3cff887dc6158e97340/jeff-williams-3x2.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: jeff-williams-3x2 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: See One Astronaut's Stunning Photos of Earth From Space twitter:description: Jeff Williams spent more than 500 days aboard the International Space Station twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte9d6fe25019f2d0d/6988a3cff887dc6158e97340/jeff-williams-3x2.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # See Astronaut Jeff Williams' Most Stunning Photos of Earth From Space by [Marisa Gertz](/author/marisa-gertz/) ## Marisa Gertz Updated: Dec 13, 2023 3:31 AM CUTPublished: Sep 6, 2016 10:00 AM CUT  Jeff Williams—NASA by [Marisa Gertz](/author/marisa-gertz/) ## Marisa Gertz Updated: Dec 13, 2023 3:31 AM CUTPublished: Sep 6, 2016 10:00 AM CUT **Correction appended, Sept. 12** The last time American astronaut Jeff Williams set foot on Earth was March 18\. He was set to return to our planet on Sept. 6, having set a new [NASA](http://www.nasa.gov/feature/jeff-williams-racks-up-new-time-in-space-record "undefined") record for cumulative time spent in space at 534 days. During his time working in space, Williams has seen the [International Space Station](http://time.com/4094719/space-station-fifteen-years/ "undefined") (ISS) grow from a single, crew-less module to the continuously-manned orbiting laboratory that it is today. His first mission was aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis back in 2000, where he worked to prepare the space station for its first crew, spending just 10 days in [space](http://time.com/4462654/nasa-spacecraft-contact-stereo-b/ "undefined"). He returned in 2006 and spent six months there, setting up experiments and replacing equipment. In 2009 ,Williams commanded the station for the first time, overseeing the arrival of, among other things, the famous cupola. On his most recent mission, the station had officially been declared complete, but Williams still found work to do, adding a [docking adapter](http://time.com/4458971/watch-nasa-spacewalk-dock-august-2016/ "undefined") and helping to deploy a new module. Over those 534 days, Williams has shown that he has a great photographic eye for some of Earth’s more spectacular features, sharing many of his shots on social media. He has delighted in spotting the pale blues of coral reefs, unique agricultural plots, and winding river deltas, along with astrological features such as noctilucent clouds, aurorae, and the [full moon](http://time.com/4377127/strawberry-moon-space-station-photos/ "undefined"). “It’s a real thrill for me to be able to bring the experience to you through photography,” Williams said in a [NASA video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkdAgyJ3Xqw "undefined") earlier this year, “You never get tired of viewing the beautiful planet that is home to all of us.” Williams won’t have long to enjoy his crown. Peggy Whitson is scheduled to break his record during her next mission, which launches in November. **Correction**: The original version of this story misstated the last time Jeff Williams was on Earth. It was March 18, 2016.  The south cape of Hawaii, showing a grid of streets in the lower right Jeff Williams—NASA  Bright yellow plots of rape seed growning in Szombathely, Hungary Jeff Williams—NASA  Fields in Gaines County, Texas Jeff Williams—NASA  Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River, on the border of Texas and Oklahoma Jeff Williams—NASA  Coral reefs in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Mozambique Jeff Williams—NASA  Part of the Sahara desert, Algeria. Jeff Williams—NASA  The Richat Structure or “Bulls Eye” in Mauritania. Jeff Williams—NASA  Salt domes in the Great Salt Desert of eastern Iran. Jeff Williams—NASA  The Exmouth Gulf, in Western Australia. Jeff Williams—NASA  Agriculture in South Africa. Jeff Williams—NASA  The Giza Plateau in Giza, Egypt. Jeff Williams—NASA  Agriculture in Alpera, Spain. Jeff Williams—NASA  Kansanshi mine, Africa's largest copper mine, in Zambia. Jeff Williams—NASA  Karachi, Pakistan and the Indus River delta. Jeff Williams—NASA  The General Carrera Lake in Patagonia, Chile. Jeff Williams—NASA  Sunset over Earth. Jeff Williams—NASA  Noctilucent clouds, formed by ice crystals, high up in Earth's mesosphere. Jeff Williams—NASA  The full moon rises just before sunset, over western China. 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