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Amazing images of a typhoon heading for the Philippines have been snapped from orbit by two astronauts.

Typhoon Maysak was initially a top-rated category 5 typhoon, causing troops in the Philippines to be put on alert today.

And residents and toursists along the eastern coast have been warned that it will hit land some time in the next 72 hours.

This image taken Tuesday 31 March 31 shows Typhoon Maysak taken by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti from the International Space Station. The Pacific Daily News newspaper in Guam reports the storm was upgraded Tuesday to a super typhoon with winds of 150mph

As it moved over the Pacific Ocean, the storm generated winds of more than 140mph (225km/h).

It is expected to weaken once it hits the central or northern parts of the main Philippine island of Luzon on Saturday or Sunday.

'Commands respect even from #space: we just flew over typhoon #Maysak,' Esa astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti said in a tweet.

And fellow astronaut Terry Virts, of Nasa, said: 'Looking down into the eye - by far the widest one I've seen. It seemed like a black hole from a Sci-Fi movie #Maysak.'

Accuweather.com reported that the storn was one of the strongest cyclones in history during the months of January, February and March.

Although it is expected to weaken slightly, it will still pose a significant threat to islands in its past.

It first developed into a tropical storm last Friday, and now the full power of a super typhoon can be seen in the images.

The steep walls of cloud drop into the eye of the storm, and more than 10 inches (250mm) of rain have been reported under the storm.

Nasa astronaut Terry Virts captured the eye of typhoon Maysak early in the morning with the shadow being cast deep into the vortex. The storm was moving west-northwest at 15mph

The eyewall of Super Typhoon Maysak is seen as it heads west-northwestward through the western Pacific Ocean, northwest of Yap Island, in this infrared image taken by the Suomi NPP satellite's VIIRS instrument 1 April 2015. The storm has maintained its 15 nautical mile diameter eye, but is weakening slightly as dry air encroaches from the southern periphery, according to Noaa

This map from Accuweather shows the path of super typhoon Maysak over the next few days

This image was taken yesterday by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti from the International Space Station. Officials say super Typhoon Maysak is expected to significantly weaken before reaching the Philippines around Sunday

'The eye of #Maysak typhoon really stands out early in the morning with the shadow being cast deep into the vortex,' said Terry Virts

'This is very strong and it will maintain its strength as it nears, although we expect that the typhoon will weaken,' Esperanza Cayanan, an officer at the weather bureau, said in a televised briefing.

'But this will still be typhoon intensity so it will bring strong winds when it makes landfall on the eastern coast.

British-based Tropical Storm Risk said Maysak would likely weaken to a category 2 typhoon, with maximum winds of up to 110mph (175km/h), when it hits land.

The typhoon could damage rice and corn crops in central and northern areas of the Philippines, although damage is likely to be minimal because the major harvest of the national staple rice was finished around February.

Super Typhoon Maysak is seen tracking west-northwestward through the western Pacific Ocean, northwest of Yap Island in this image taken by the Suomi NPP satellite's VIIRS instrument around 04:25GMT (00:25 ET) 1 April

'Commands respect even from #space: we just flew over typhoon #Maysak,' Esa astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti said in a tweet 

Alexander Pama, executive director of the national disaster agency, said the biggest challenge for authorities would be keeping foreign and Filipino tourists travelling to northern provinces for the weekend safe when Maysak makes landfall.

Thousands of Filipinos have already begun travelling to the provinces and popular tourist spots before the Easter weekend.

Maysak is not expected to make landfall where another category 5 typhoon, Haiyan, struck more than a year ago, leaving nearly 8000 dead or missing.

The storm is expected to dissipate shortly after it leaves the Philippines.