The Soyuz TMA-12M Spacecraft Takes Off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
The Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft carrying the International Space Station (ISS) crew of U.S. astronaut Steven Swanson and Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev takes off from the Baikonur cosmodrome, March 26, 2014. REUTERS

The first images of our planet through a couple of space cameras sent by Canadian company UrtheCast were released on Thursday, April 3. The company has planned to create a series of photographs in near-real time.

The Vancouver-based company said that the cameras, which had been installed on the International Space Station on November 2013, would move uninterruptedly with the ISS which circles the earth 16 times every day. The company also said that the cameras would "highlight the beauty" of ever-evolving Earth, Toronto Sun reported. The very first images show the Jamaican city of Moneague. It also covered Santa Cruz de Mara, Venezuela. The images were taken on March 28.

According to UrtheCast, there will be a near-real time ultra-HD video feed from space soon. The full colour videos will be streamed back to our planet so that everyone can watch it. The company is reportedly working on the cameras, as well as its data-processing ground system, so that those can be prepared for the near-live streaming. Canadians will be allowed to watch the ultra-HD video streaming by signing up for a free account.

CBC News reported that the cameras sent by the Canadian company captured an image which was much lower in quality than those of commercial satellites. Each pixel of the image indicates an area of 6 sq m. Commercial satellites sent by U.S. company DigitalGlobe capture images which are much greater in terms of resolution. DigitalGlobe cameras allow users to identify objects as tiny as of 50 sq cm. Moving objects like cars are clearly distinguishable.

UrtheCast cameras, nevertheless, capture enough clarity to identify fields, buildings, waterways and streets. In its image of Jamaica, It also captures green hills with a "bumpy landscape." On the other hand, the company promises to deliver higher quality in recent future. It said that its video camera would capture objects as tiny as 1 m in width.

Watch out for the images HERE.