Alexander Gerst, ESA

Alexander Gerst, ESA

Alexander Gerst, ESA

Alexander Gerst, ESA

A German astronaut on Wednesday posted photos of typhoon Paeng (international name Trami) seen from space.

The photos were uploaded online by European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Alexander Gerst, as seen from the International Space Station.

"As if somebody pulled the planet's gigantic plug. Staring down the eye of yet another fierce storm. Category 5 Super Typhoon Trami is unstoppable and heading for Japan and Taiwan. Be safe down there! #TyphoonTrami," Gerst said on Twitter.

Three of the photos show close-up views of typhoon Paeng's eye, while another shows its size as seen from the ISS.

• READ: Typhoon Paeng slightly weakens, continues to head north

The U.S. Navy and Air Force's Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Hawaii has classified Paeng as a super typhoon, equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane in the western hemisphere.

It is currently packing sustained winds of 240 kilometers per hour and gusts reaching 296 kph in 1-minute mean readings, according to JTWC's latest bulletin early Wednesday.

The tropical cyclone is not expected to make landfall in the Philippines but could bring rains by Friday over disaster-hit northern Luzon, according to state weather bureau PAGASA.

• LOOK: Manila seen from space