EO Newsroom: New Images - The Top of the AtmosphereWould a robot ever have thought to get a photo like this? Manned spaceflight may be cumbersome, problematic, and more expensive than sending mechanisms to look around and examine rocks - but artistry seems to be something that humans try for, and something like this wouldn't be out of place in a gallery.Atmospheric gases scatter blue wavelengths of visible light more than other wavelengths, giving the Earth’s visible edge a blue halo. At higher and higher altitudes, the atmosphere becomes so thin that it essentially ceases to exist. Gradually, the atmospheric halo fades into the blackness of space. This astronaut photograph captured on July 20, 2006, shows a nearly translucent moon emerging from behind the halo.
Enjoy!
J.
Comments (5)
I fully support ATO so that we can bravely use 1930's technology to get to space.
Time to end this tyranny of NASA and just get on with it.
Posted by ajacksonian | March 3, 2007 3:05 PM
Posted on March 3, 2007 15:05
One of the advantages that manned spaceflight over unmanned is that human beings, who are not constrained by programming, can take advantage of unanticipated transient events that a robot simply could not. There was an instance during SkyLab when there was a solar flare and the astronauts were able to divert the instruments to observe it, for instance.
Posted by John C. | March 4, 2007 8:01 AM
Posted on March 4, 2007 08:01
John C -
Humans ARE a bit more flexible when confronted with unanticipated problems and opportunities...
BTW, I've got a copy of "Edison's Conquest Of Mars" - I know you've been looking for it for a while. It's not a 'vintage' copy, it's a reprint. Do you want it?
J.
Posted by JLawson | March 5, 2007 9:13 PM
Posted on March 5, 2007 21:13
AJacksonian -
I looked at that and thought about putting the Rusted Sky logo up on the next flight - but unless I win the lottery I sure can't justify it to myself!
J.
Posted by JLawson | March 5, 2007 9:14 PM
Posted on March 5, 2007 21:14
J - Don't think of it as a Logo, think of it as an investment in weaning us off of NASA... I am seriously looking at their donation levels as this is worth doing. I bought some of their date marked postcards and such which is basically for that and mementos of our attempts to really get to space for good and all.
Posted by ajacksonian | March 7, 2007 6:56 AM
Posted on March 7, 2007 06:56