Video: A GoPro Camera Falls From Orbit

Recently the private space firm SpaceX conducted a test of its new Falcon 9 rocket, sending it into orbit high above the Earth. By most accounts it was a successful flight, potentially opening the door for a new era of commercial space flight. During that test a GoPro camera was attached to one of the rockets farings, and it managed to capture some amazing footage as it fell back to Earth. The video below is a sample of that footage, which is oddly tranquil, especially when set to the music of the Blue Danube by Johann Strauss.

Video: The Pale Blue Dot

Want to take a humbling look at our place in the Universe? Than watch this 4 minute animated clip which features Carl Sagan's famous "Pale Blue Dot" speech set to a series of images that help put his words into stirring context. Our planet is a small one, and really just a very insignificant place in the wide Universe. And yet, we still continue to have a hard time rising above our petty differences and just finding a way to get along. Sagan's words echo that sentiment so eloquently, and they hold as much meaning now as they did when he first wrote them more than 20 years ago. This Pale Blue Dot is our home, perhaps someday we'll all find a way to share it.

Pale Blue Dot from Chin Li Zhi on Vimeo.

Video: Astronaut Takes a GoPro on a Spacewalk

Over the years we've seen the tiny and ubiquitous GoPro camera go just about everywhere. But in this video it takes us some place we have seldom seen in the past. Astronaut Terry Virts wore a GoPro camera when he went for a spacewalk, and as you can imagine the video he captured was pretty spectacular. Take a peek at what it is like to step outside the International Space Station, and go to work 250 miles above the Earth. I'm sure the view was exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time.

Video: Stunning Views of Earth From the International Space Station

The International Space Station whizzes by 258 miles (416 km) above us, giving the lucky crew onboard unprecedented views of our planet. Some of those views are captured in this fascinating video, which shares what it is like to view the Earth from orbit. As you can imagine, it is quite a sight, and this "Blue Marble" continues to be a source of beauty and life for us all. This is a great way to end the week. I hope you enjoy these three minutes of shots from space.

Stunning Views of Earth From Space from The New York Times - Video on Vimeo.

Video: Danny MacAskill's Solar Eclipse Ride

For last week's total solar eclipse in Europe famed mountain bike rider Danny MacAskill traveled to his homeland on the Isle of Skye in Scotland to take his bike for a spin just as the moon was covering the sun. The video below chronicles that journey – and that ride – in epic fashion, wish some amazing shots of the island, as well as Danny's usual escapades on the trails there. If you've seen any of his other mountain biking films, you know what to expect here, and as usual Danny delivers in spades.

Video: Total Solar Eclipse from Spitsbergen, Norway

Yesterday we had a fun little video of a snowboarder enjoying some time in the backcountry of Norway while the total solar eclipse occurred last week. Today, we get a wonderful timelapse video of that phenomenon that was shot above the Arctic Circle in that same country in Spitsbergen region. This short clip – less than two minutes in length – gives us a wonderful view of the eclipse in a fantastic setting. Enjoy!

Total Solar Eclipse, March 20, 2015 - Spitsbergen, Arctic from Witek Kaszkin on Vimeo.

Video: Snowboarding in a Total Solar Eclipse

As I'm sure many of you know, last Friday a total solar eclipse occurred over Europe, bringing some unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for those who had the opportunity to witness it. In this video, one adventurous person trekked out into a remote region of Svalbard in Norway to capture the eclipse on video and then snowboard down a mountain while it was still taking place. His excitement over what he is seeing is endearing to say the least, and the landscape that he chose to shoot his video in is spectacular. This is a great example of someone taking advantage of the moment and creating a wonderful adventure for himself. One that he'll remember throughout his lifetime.

Solar Eclipse Svalbard from stian aadland on Vimeo.

Video: Riding Light

The speed of light is about 186,000 miles per second. That seems incredibly fast, and when compared to our day-to-day reference points, it definitely is. But when you think about how vast the universe is it becomes fairly evident that it isn't nearly fast enough. This video puts that into perspective in an amazing way, showing us just how fast the speed of light is relative to distances in our own solar system. It requires a bit of patience, but it takes us on a ride from the sun out to Jupiter at the speed of light in what is essentially real-time.

Riding Light from Alphonse Swinehart on Vimeo.