These stunning photographs may look like alien planets, but they are actually satellite images of planet Earth. Commercial satellite company DigitalGlobe recently released the images as a way of highlighting the incredible detail of their imagery – the highest-resolution commercial satellite imagery in the world. Some of the images – taken above Afghanistan, Algeria, Peru, Russia and the United States – look more like abstract works by Mondrian than segments of the globe. DigitalGlobe, based in Westminster, Colo., launched its first satellite in 1999 and currently has four in operation. Here: Trementina, New Mexico. (Photo by DigitalGlobe/Caters News)

A man wears a sweater covered in Irish themed pins as he stands with thousands of spectators to watch the 254th New York City St. Patrick's Day parade up 5th Avenue in the Manhattan Borough of New York, March 17, 2015. (Photo by Mike Segar/Reuters)

The mother (2nd R) of missing firefighter Xue Ning is helped by other family members as she cries outside the venue of a news conference after trying to demand for more information from government officials, following the explosions on Wednesday night at Binhai new district in Tianjin, China, August 15, 2015. (Photo by Jason Lee/Reuters)

New York City FC midfielder Valentin Castellanos (11) falls after battling Columbus Crew defender Aboubacar Keita (30) for a high ball during the second half at Red Bull Arena in New York, August 24, 2020. (Photo by Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports)

Australian model and designer Madeline Stuart, who has Down syndrome, acknowledges attendees after presenting creations from her label 21 Reasons Why By Madeline Stuart during New York Fashion Week in Manhattan, New York, U.S., February 12, 2017. (Photo by Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

Woman on swings attached to a float during the Sexual Freedom Parade, part of Naughty in N'awlins held in New Orleans, Louisiana, Wednesday July 5th, 2017. These are the photos from inside the world’s largest swinging convention for couples. The exclusive images reveal the unlikely couples who like to engage in sexual relations with other people besides their partners – and show that swinging is more ‘normal’ than you think. (Photo by Mathew Growcoot/News Dog Media)

2021 Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu from India struggles to keep her crown on in the wind, as she arrives on the observation level of the Empire State Building in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S. January 12, 2022. (Photo by Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

A girl visits by an area decorated with lanterns ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year festivity at Yu Garden, following the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in Shanghai, China, January 28, 2022. (Photo by Aly Song/Reuters)