Brilliant images of the Earth from space

The Guardian compiles this great collection of satellite photos.

Above photo:
"Like tiny blue jewels, the western Hawaiian islands glow among the clouds over the Pacific Ocean. The Hawaiian islands are in the north Pacific – the larger, eastern islands are probably more well-known, but there are actually eight major islands, as well as many smaller islands and several atolls. Though Hawaii is a US state, the island chain is actually located 1,860 miles from the nearest continent. The islands are the exposed peaks of a volcanic, undersea mountain range."