“Earth as Art” free Book of Satellite Images Showcase the Beauty of Earth as Seen from Above

NASA has released a new publication which contains a “stunning array of images of our home planet, taken by Earth-observing science satellites.” The collection of spectacular views, looking down from space at our home planet, is combined in a new book called “Earth as Art.” Free versions of the new book are available for download and as a free iPad app. A hardcover version is also available at a modest cost.

“Earth as Art” is a 158-page book which according to the space agency, “celebrates the aesthetic beauty of Earth in the patterns, shapes, colors and textures of the land, oceans, ice and atmosphere. Images include snow-capped mountain peaks in the Himalayas, Arizona’s Painted Desert, the Mississippi River Delta spreading into the Gulf of Mexico, a Saharan dune sea in Algeria, and Byrd Glacier in Antarctica.”

Images found in the book were taken from the Landsat 5 and 7, Terra, Aqua, and Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellites. These satellites are part of a number of U.S. environmental satellites. The satellites in this group contain sensitive instruments which are capable of measuring light outside of the visible range that make up our everyday world. As a result, the images revealed show features and patterns not always visible to the human eye. The images give scientists better insight into our environment, and give the rest of us pictures of otherwise unknown beauty found here on earth.

The free iPad version of “Earth as Art”, as well as the downloadable PDF format for computers, allows users to zoom into the book’s 75 satellite images. The iPad app also gives users access to additional information on selected features and the satellites used.

To download the free iPad app go to: http://www.nasa.gov/apps
The PDF version of “Earth as Art” is also freely available for download at: http://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/earth_art_detail.html

To order a hardcover copy of the “Earth as Art” book, it is available for
purchase from the U.S. Government Printing Office online at: http://bookstore.gpo.gov