Video: Jeff's Earth in 4K

An orbital sunrise as seen by the International Space Station's crew. Photo Credit: NASA

In a stunning five-minute ultra high-definition video released by NASA at the end of 2016, retired NASA astronaut Jeff Williams recounts his time spent orbiting Earth aboard the International Space Station.

Williams, who returned to Earth Sept. 7, 2016, on his fourth and final trip into the black, has spent more than 534 days in space over his career—more than any American astronaut as of this writing. All of his missions, including one aboard the space shuttle Atlantis in 2000, went to the ISS. For his latest mission, in 2016, he served as commander for Expedition 48.

Over his career he has taken more photographs of Earth from space than any other astronaut in history.

"When you finish and your back on the Earth, the memories diminish quickly," Williams said in the video. "So, to capture the memories, to be able to bring back the experience to others, and viewing this planet, now we can see it in a global scale and maybe grow in our appreciating of those things that are unique to Earth." 

Video courtesy of NASA