Seeing the world from a different perspective

Seeing planet Earth from space changes your life forever. It raises your awareness, triggers your compassion, and gives you a rush of happiness, as Otje van der Lelij discovers.

I was always amazed by the stars when I stared up at the night sky as a child. Questions would bubble up in my head like: How did they all get there? How did it all start? What else does the universe hold? And what are we doing here on Earth? As I got older and began reading books about astronomy, my wonder and curiosity just grew. I’m blown away by the idea that our solar system is one of billions in our Milky Way galaxy. And there are around two trillion more galaxies out there in the universe; it’s simply mind-boggling.

I kind of like how tiny it makes me feel. It certainly puts my daily worries into perspective, and gives me a powerful sense of purpose. I am grateful to be part of this awe-inspiring universe and, at the same time, be able to look at it as a conscious observer. So when I heard that the view 
of our Earth from space is a transformative moment 
for astronauts, and that you can experience this ‘overview effect’ at the Columbus Earth Center in Kerkrade, the Netherlands, I immediately felt inspired 
to go. So I did.