Earth Day: Seeing Our Home Through an Astronaut’s Lens
Peeking through the scattered clouds over the North Pacific Ocean on September 19, 2014 are the eight major islands that comprise the archipelago of the Hawaiian Islands.
Media Credit: Sally Ride EarthKAM
April 20, 2018 • By Libby, David
Our first of three Earth Day posts is contributed by guest author David Libby from TERC, which operates Windows on Earth. All images are courtesy of NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Orbiting the Earth once every 92 minutes at an altitude of 250 miles, the crew members onboard the International Space Station have a unique perspective of our home planet. They no longer see borders, but they do see the signs of humans on Earth.
They see Earth’s majesty,
“I looked in awe and was rendered speechless by so much beauty.” – Astronaut Reid Wiseman, ISSInternational Space Station Expedition 40/41. Sicily and Italy at night.
Media Credit: Sally Ride EarthKAM
variety,
“Oh my, tell me that doesn’t look like a watercolor tray? The Earth surprises me with its beauty every day.” – Astronaut Jack Fischer, ISS Expedition 51/52. Evaporation ponds in the Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA.
Media Credit: Sally Ride EarthKAM
grandeur,
“I know it’s nature…but put a frame on it and it wouldn’t look out of place in an art gallery!” – Astronaut Paolo Nespoli, ISS Expedition 52/53. Bechar Province, Algeria, Africa.
Media Credit: Sally Ride EarthKAM
fragility,
“Bahamas, the strokes of your watercolors are always a refreshing sight.” – Astronaut Scott Kelly, ISS Expedition 43/44/45/46. Great Exuma Island, Bahamas. Zoom in on this photo to find an aircraft and its twin condensation trails.
Media Credit: Sally Ride EarthKAM
and subtlety.
“The Ural Delta in the Caspian Sea looks like a tree leaf.” – Astronaut Thomas Pesquet, ISS Expedition 50/51. Ural River Delta, Kazakhstan.
Media Credit: Sally Ride EarthKAM
They see signs of humanity on the land . . .
“Such a stark contrast between the dark desolate lifeless desert of northern Africa and the Nile River teeming with life along its shores.” Doug Wheelock, ISS Expedition 24/25. The Nile River and Delta.
Media Credit: Sally Ride EarthKAM
. . . and in the ocean.
“A sea of green fishing boats lights up the night.” – Astronaut Tim Peake, ISS Expedition 46/47. South China Sea.
Media Credit: Sally Ride EarthKAM
This Earth Day,
Let us remember the words of the first human to fly in space and treasure the gift we have been given.
The Atlas Mountains in North Africa.
Media Credit: Sally Ride EarthKAM