AstroPhotographer Soichi Noguchi

Image via NASA

This guy is Japanese Space Agency Astronaut Soichi  Noguchi, who goes by Astro Soichi on Twitter. He is seen here just before he left the International Space Station today onboard a Soyuz capsule - after a six month stay as part of ISS Expedition 23.

Uluru, Australia. World heritage site.

While he was there, he took dozens and dozens of incredible images of the Earth, shuttles, and the space station. I really hope he publishes a book one day. They are perhaps the most consistently spectacular and breathtaking images a person has taken from space.

Christchurch, New Zealand. Breathtakingly beautiful coastline.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading his tweets and following the links to his twitpics page where he posted the images. That page was really slow as I checked it just now, so I hope he posts some of his bests shots on a blog when he gets his Earth legs back.

My Favorite "Cat" Island :) Mediterranean. 

It has been absolutely fantastic looking at your photographs during your ISS stay. Safe journeys, Soichi! :)

Mike