Nearly 30 years after the first astronauts shocked humanity by flying to the Moon and capturing the first images of Earth from outer space, a new “generation” of satellite images is portraying the delicate yet exquisite beauty of “our world“.
Captured by dozens of satellites tirelessly orbiting the blue planet, the images featured in this article are sourced from the Earth from Space exhibition, which opened on January 7, 2007, at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The Earth from Space exhibition will be touring 14 cities across the United States over the next three years.
From heights ranging from several hundred to thousands of kilometers, sometimes showcasing surreal colors due to infrared photography that helps scientists differentiate between various types of vegetation and terrain, these portraits of Earth display the natural beauty of our homeland through astonishing details. In one aspect, the photos from this exhibition reveal how we are repairing our shared home, for better or worse.
The satellite images of Earth are the highlight of the Earth from Space traveling exhibition that opened on January 7, 2007.
The Lena River delta flowing into the Laptev Sea in Siberia, showcasing a variety of plant life distinguished by colors visible only through infrared.
The Egyptian pyramids rise from the desert like four-faced jewels.
Satellite sensors capture temperature changes in ocean waters affecting seafood growth along the eastern coast of the United States, including the Gulf Stream current.
Winds from Santa Ana, California are blowing smoke from wildfires out to the Pacific Ocean.
Winds are blowing sand waves across the land near the borders of Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The grayish areas are bare rocky mountains.
These images are captured from heights ranging from several hundred to thousands of kilometers.
Dang Thu
