During his last night in orbit (STS 36) Mike Mullane did something Hartsfield taught him during STS 41D.

He took headphones to play music (the others were asleep in the flightdeck), inside the cockpit, switched off the lights.
Atlantis was in a ceiling to Earth attitude. He rolled belly up and pulled forward until his head was nearly touching a forward cockpit window. His face was down towards Earth. The switches he was brushing could only be accessed by a thumb and the index (so no danger there). It created the illusion of an unobstructed view of Earth (the shuttle structure disappeared behind him).
That flight had an inclination of 62 degree (furthest north) and an altitude of 200 km (lowest)...
The best view imaginable !

The current ISS cannot allow this (the windows don't allow for an unobstructed view)....That's why the Cupola is so important and why highly inclined orbits are worth it.