This new satellite image serves to remind us how beautiful our world is

The European Space Agency has released the first image of Earth captured by its new weather-monitoring satellite MSG-4.

The MSG-4 satellite, equipped with the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infra-red Imager (SEVIRI) instrument which captured this stunning photo, was launched by ESA on 26 July.

ESA, which has now handed over control of the satellite to Eumetsat (an inter-governmental meteorological agency), explained that the image shows that MSG-4 is "performing well and is on its way to becoming fully operational when needed after six months of commissioning."

Which means we can hopefully expect plenty more beautiful images over the coming months.

More: This six-second video of the Earth is mesmerising