"You develop an instant global consciousness, a people orientation, an intense dissatisfaction with the state of the world, and a compulsion to do something about it. From out there on the moon, international politics looks so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, 'Look at that, you son of a bitch.'"
- Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 astronaut, People magazine, 8 April 1974.

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Breathtaking.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:01 AM EST reply Recommend (12) Flag actions
Honestly, it would be more breathtaking if they didn’t alter the colors of the image. The oceans are more blue than that, and the land is tinted blue, because of the atmosphere.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:41 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Oh? Which space mission were you on?
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 1:49 PM EST reply Recommend (18) Flag actions
Heh, sorry for being a dick. My bad!
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 1:52 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Nasa has frequently said they change the colors – not sure if they did it here though, but you can understand his suspicion
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 6:38 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
pshh at least my dumbphones camera can shoot pictures with stars in them.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 5:00 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
You would not be able to have the earth exposed as well as the stars in the same picture. No matter what the movie industry would like you to believe.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Astronaut-in-space.jpg
Posted on Jan 26, 2012 | 7:10 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Now all I need is a 64MP monitor and I’ve got me some new wallpaper.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:06 AM EST via mobile reply Recommend (12) Flag actions
Yes sir, screw 2160p or 4k or whatever they call it… I want an 1120×6048p resolution display on my next 27" monitor… and on my smartphone. :-)
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 12:25 PM EST via mobile reply Recommend Flag actions
Correction, 11,200×6048 thank you very much
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 12:26 PM EST via mobile reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
Please… that picture is obviously fake.

This is how the real thing looks like
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:06 AM EST reply Recommend (36) Flag actions
Oddly, you are actually half right. The earth doesn’t look like the painting in your post, but the image in the article is actually a fake. It’s a color-altered composite image.
From Flickr:
And the color is wrong; compare it to a photo from the moon taken during apollo 8: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/NASA-Apollo8-Dec24-Earthrise.jpg
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:37 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
You’re assuming we really went to the moon.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 1:05 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Oh good grief, here we go….
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 1:19 PM EST reply Recommend (13) Flag actions
I think it’s safe to say that you pesonally didn’t, so beyond that it really doesn’t matter, does it?
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 2:08 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Wrong. It’s turtles all the way down.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:56 AM EST reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
Best comment of 2012.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 12:59 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
awesome quote. astronauts are awesome. just….awesome.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:08 AM EST reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
It’s a fun quote by Mr. Mitchell – but what would he have us do? If it is so obvious – tell us!
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:08 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Politicians are known to be greedy, petty, etc, focussed on the next election or their pockets. The first step would be for them to be a little selfless and do what’s right for the people and the environment and not what the lobbyists dictate to them. That would be a good first step.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 12:19 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
We tend to make generalizations about politicians the same way we do about everybody else. The reality is that there are many very good, ethical politicians doing the best they know how to improve their states/countries. Of course, many others, perhaps even the majority, are greedy and short-sighted, but so are many of the non-politicians who vote them into office.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 3:37 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
So how do I actually see the image? The image at the header of the article is a thumbnail, especially compared to the supposed quality the title says the image is… so where is the link to the source, or to the image itself?
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:08 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
where it says “source”….click on that.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:09 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Click on the source link, it takes you to their Flickr account. From there, find the original size.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:09 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
ah I obviously did not see that. I’d assumed the image in the article would link to it.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:12 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6760135001_14c59a1490_o.jpg
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:38 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Wow! I can almost see my house.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:12 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Beautiful.
And a great way to do the post, Vlad.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:13 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Earth rules
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:15 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
As a Martian, I find your comment offensive. Just because you were born into a wealthy planet doesn’t make you better than me ok?
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:26 AM EST reply Recommend (8) Flag actions
Ugh. Such an earth fanboy.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 12:48 PM EST reply Recommend (8) Flag actions
DIRECT LINK to img:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6760135001_14c59a1490_o.jpg
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:36 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
This is the image….

Posted on Jan 26, 2012 | 3:50 AM EST via mobile reply Recommend Flag actions
Was this taken by a Hassleblad in space or something like that?
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:40 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
No it’s a composite of a bunch of images.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:56 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I am in awe. This made my day. BTW taxes well spent.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:57 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
It has to be said with this photo of earth: ¡Viva México, Cabrones!
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 11:59 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Is North America always so red? It looks more arid than I was expecting.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 12:01 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Funny thing about temperate climates—they change—though northern Mexico and the southwest of the US are mostly red-brown. The plains are only green in the summertime. And the great forests have been covered up by clouds.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 12:46 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
That’s right, Mexico City. NASA’s got eye in the sky on you. You better watch out.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 12:38 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Now where am I gonna get my crap quality weed?
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 1:08 PM EST via mobile reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
That is exactly how I feel sometimes. Woww.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 12:59 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Omg if you look close enough you’ll find ….jaggies! I KNEW IT! The earth isn’t real, we’re just running inside the Matrix!
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 2:02 PM EST reply Recommend (6) Flag actions
It’s a composite shot. Probably just painted onto a 3D sphere model.
Posted on Jan 26, 2012 | 3:16 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Simply amazing. It’s sad to see that NASA continues to be viewed as wasteful spending by many people in the US. If anything we need more investment in NASA.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 3:16 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
As an European, this image does nothing for me.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 3:27 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
As a citizen of Planet Earth, I sneer in your face.
(I’m in Europe, as well.)
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 3:35 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Liar! This photo is proof that Europe does not exist.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 3:42 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Well, I kind of agree. After all, he’s talking about ‘global consciousness.’ There’s more to Earth than that ugly piece of land ;)
Oh and what @Duotronic said..
Posted on Jan 26, 2012 | 4:47 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Why the fuck is North America so disproportionately big? THIS IS THE BIG QUESTION!
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 4:51 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
way to be US-centric NASA! (North American Space Agency*)
* i know that’s not the acronym..
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 6:30 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Hm, I can’t see my house from here!
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 6:38 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Instructions: (Drag and drop) Wyoming, Montana and the Dakota’s into their own little island and replace them with Rio Dejanero, Amsterdam and Greenland. Pinch to zoom in on the hilarity that ensues in the state offices of Amsterdam.
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 7:07 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I want to see the good side!
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 | 7:13 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
“You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch.’”
Did anyone else think “without setting him up with an oxygen supply first”?
Posted on Jan 26, 2012 | 4:14 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Anyone knows where the stars gone ? :/
Posted on Jan 26, 2012 | 7:59 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
its hard to capture two bright things on the same piece of film.
Posted on Jan 26, 2012 | 12:04 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Amazing photo, wish there was a lot more interest in all things space :)
Posted on Jan 26, 2012 | 10:20 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Because neck-grabbing and dragging and name calling are how an enlightened person rises above petty political squabbling. Does this guy not hear himself? Everybody has their metaphorical view from the moon and will have a different solution to the problems they see from there.
Posted on Jan 26, 2012 | 1:17 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Best background ever.
Posted on Jan 26, 2012 | 2:48 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Not sure why this isn’t a showstopper for anyone else, but the proportions of the landmasses in this “photo” are just crazy wrong. I know it’s a mosaic, but come on NASA you can do better than this. Think I’m being overly picky? Look at the US. Since when does it stretch 3/4 of the way across the face of the globe? And take a look at South America… Oh wait, it’s off to the side and can’t be seen. That’s weird, because every “to scale” globe I’ve ever looked at from this “Americas” vantage point, easily fits North America and South America in one view. Look here for example.
Posted on Feb 14, 2012 | 2:09 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
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