Incredible NASA picture from space shows lush Britain shining in the blue sea

THE British Isles are captured in all their beauty from 246 miles above the Earth.

Released by NASA, the majestic shot taken from on board the International Space Station shows Great Britain and Ireland in incredible detail.

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Amazingly, the crystal-clear image was taken by a regular commercial digital camera rather than a specialist space gadget.

The Nikon D5 camera - which can cost up to £4,000 without including professional lenses - captured the heavenly image at 9:25am on February 26.

A 17-35mm zoom lens was used on the camera - which was aimed from the window of the ISS as it orbited above the Irish Sea.

It shows our islands' stunning greenery and the majestic peaks of Britain and Ireland's renowned mountain ranges.

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The ISS - whose solar array can be seen in the shot - was travelling at low orbit, floating about the same distance between London and Manchester.

The space station normally circles the Earth at roughly 250 miles up - and travels at a staggering 17,500mph.

It orbits the planet every 90 minutes - with astronauts given the privilege of witnesses breathtaking views of the earth's land, sea and weather systems.

Last year, the International Space Station celebrated 20 years since it was first launched.

The first batch of long-term residents did not arrive until two years later in November 2000.

In its lifetime, the station has been home to 236 astronauts, including British ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Major Tim Peake.

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Maj Peake lived aboard the floating space lab for just over six months from December 15, 2015 until June 18, 2016.

We reported earlier how the space station was preparing to receive its latest grocery shipment, which blasted off on Wednesday.

Due to arrive on Good Friday, the 7,600lb capsule will deliver 800 meals to the six current crew - including Easter treats like smoked turkey, pork chops and asparagus.