Sometimes thinking about outer space helps me decompress. This animation of the 12-year development of the International Space Station helped me relax tonight. Puts everything into perspective, and forces us to readjust visual scale several times.

Then there’s stuff like this giant supernova remnant, about 30,000 years old and (if I did my math right) more than 16,500 of our solar system diameters across. The light we see in this picture left the nebula 3,000 years ago, about the time the Mayans were discovering environmental regulation and forest management. 

Did you know? You can regularly view the nighttime passage of the ISS and the space shuttle with the naked eye? Get schedules or downloadable charting applications here.