Hi Res Image of Earth by NASA's New Satelite

[Karlis]

You've seen Earth, but you've never seen it like this. It's available in 8000×8000 pixel resolution, and it takes a while to download, but it's definitely worth it. Read more...

Suomi NPP, NASA's newest Earth-watching satellite, has taken a high resolution image of Earth, one of the most beautiful such images ever created. It's available in 8000×8000 pixel resolution, and it takes a while to download, but it's definitely worth it.

The satellite, named after the "father of satellite meteorology," Verner E. Suomi, is designed to create fabulous images of Earth, monitor for natural disasters and improve weather forecasts as well as our understanding of long-term climate changes.

The image is a composite, created using a number of swaths of the Earth's surface taken on Jan. 4, 2012. It echoes the legendary "Blue Marble" photograph, taken by the crew of the Apollo 17 spacecraft on Dec, 7, 1972,

The Blue Marble 2012, as NASA named the new photo, is available in high resolution >here.

Now, where do we sign up for a 8000×8000 pixel screen so we can use this baby as a desktop background?

Source

Edit to add: An awe-inspiring photograph of the USA in the centre of the photo, plus Canada and Mexico. Would look fabulous on any wall, enlarged to its maximum potential.

Edited January 26, 2012 by Karlis

[George Ford]

Got it, was OK but I can still see jaggies around the curve at the top. I just found massive 26Gig picture of Dresden, you can zoom in and move about it.

http://www.dresden-26-gigapixels.com/dresden26GP

[Gary Meadows]

That is breathtaking! This planet is so beautiful

[Karlis]

Got it, was OK but I can still see jaggies around the curve at the top. I just found massive 26Gig picture of Dresden, you can zoom in and move about it.

http://www.dresden-2...com/dresden26GP

Wow! in Full Screen, you can zoom down and see the smallest pebble on a footpath ... let alone half-fill the screen with a car's number plate. Marvels of technology. Just imagine what the Men in Black and the Secret Service Agencies have at their disposal.

[Biff Wellington]

Got it, was OK but I can still see jaggies around the curve at the top. I just found massive 26Gig picture of Dresden, you can zoom in and move about it.

http://www.dresden-26-gigapixels.com/dresden26GP

I was scoping out peoples cars. This could be a powerful weapon in the wrong hands. Ha! Ha!

[George Ford]

Wow! in Full Screen, you can zoom down and see the smallest pebble on a footpath ... let alone half-fill the screen with a car's number plate. Marvels of technology. Just imagine what the Men in Black and the Secret Service Agencies have at their disposal.

They probably use those ultra high def cameras on the UAV's over Iran and such like to get epic intel.

[Xanthurion2]

cool i might check it out sometime but can't you already do that on google earth?

Edited January 28, 2012 by Xanthurion2

[Robert1]

That is one really beautiful photo.

[DONTEATUS]

It should make us all take care of our only home.!

[chainsawcam]

much prefer to trust the recently released chinese hi-res moon pics!!!!!!!!! NASA, please step forward with an excuse for 50 years of lies!!