8 stunning photos of the world's cities taken from space

And you thought a selfie from the International Space Station was a giant leap for space photography. 

In an effort to call attention to the issue of global light pollution, DSLR-wielding astronauts took a series of stunning pictures of the world's cities at night, showcasing them as glorious, illuminated webs pulsing with activity. Albeit, webs that are clearly preventing city residents from appreciating the damn stars.

While the images are published on NASA's Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth database -- and cleverly arranged on a navigator-friendly map by Cities at Night -- here are some of our favorites.

NASA, the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit

Houston

NASA, the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit

New York City

NASA, the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit

London

NASA, the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit

Paris

NASA, the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit

Barcelona

NASA, the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit

Berlin

NASA, the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit

Beijing

NASA, the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit

Rome

To see what most of the Earth's major cities look like from space, navigate the map yourself here.

Chloe Pantazi is an editorial assistant on Thrillist's travel team. Yes, that's a British accent. No, she doesn't watch Doctor Who. Follow her on Twitter at @ChloePantazi.