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: Sutter, California. (Photo by DigitalGlobe/Caters News)





Afghanistan. (Photo by DigitalGlobe/Caters News)





Palmyra, Syria. (Photo by DigitalGlobe/Caters News)





Mongolia. (Photo by DigitalGlobe/Caters News)





Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by DigitalGlobe/Caters News)





Russia. (Photo by DigitalGlobe/Caters News)





Trementina, New Mexico. (Photo by DigitalGlobe/Caters News)





Pampa San Alejo, Peru. (Photo by DigitalGlobe/Caters News)





Paramonga, Peru. (Photo by DigitalGlobe/Caters News)





Los Olivos, California. (DigitalGlobe/Caters News)





Minaret of Jam, Afghanistan. (DigitalGlobe/Caters News)





Algeria. (DigitalGlobe/Caters News)





Dura-Europos, now in Syria. (Photo by DigitalGlobe/Caters News)





Algeria. (Photo by DigitalGlobe/Caters News)





San Al Hajr Qabliyah, Egypt. (Photo by DigitalGlobe/Caters News)