They Saw Earth From Space. Here's How It Changed Them.

[demmiblue]

The majesty of our planet can be difficult to describe. But these astronauts will try.

Source: National Geographic

For the bulk of human history, it’s been impossible to put Earth in cosmic perspective.

Bound by gravity and biology, we can’t easily step outside it, above it, or away from it. For most of us, Earth is inescapably larger than life. Even now, after nearly six decades of human spaceflight, precious few people have rocketed into orbit and seen the sun peeking out from behind that curved horizon. Since 1961, a mere 556 people have had this rarefied experience. Fewer, just 24, have watched Earth shrink in the distance, growing smaller and smaller until it was no larger than the face of a wristwatch. And only six have been completely alone behind the far side of the moon, cut off from a view of our planet as they sailed in an endlessly deep, star-studded sea.

It’s an inherently unnatural thing, spaceflight. After all, our physiology evolved specifically to succeed on this planet, not above it. Perhaps that’s why it can be difficult for astronauts to describe the experience of seeing Earth from space.

Italian space traveler Luca Parmitano says that we haven’t yet developed the words to truly convey the realities of spaceflight. The building blocks of modern human communication, words are necessarily constrained by meaning and connotation, no matter which language you choose (Parmitano speaks five). And until the mid-20th century, there was no need to express what it means to see our planet in the fiercely primeval essence of space. “We just don’t think in terms of spaceflight,” he says.

More: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/03/astronauts-space-earth-perspective/

[lapfog_1]

1. to see how truly insignificant we really are

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Ah yes...Carl Sagan's pale blue dot. This is the perfect image! n/t

[lapfog_1]

4. Pretty sure I won't see another photo like that in my lifetime.

given how long it takes to reach beyond the orbit of Neptune

[Cirque du So-What]

3. Kinda blurry

Somebody must've moved.

[Marcuse]

5. I can see my house!

[AZ8theist]

6. Sarah the Stupid..

can see Russia from there...

[BigmanPigman]

7. The Flat Earth nuts will say their typical BS

explanation..."they are all in on the conspiracy along with all airplane pilots, airplane manufactures, photographers, camera manufacturers, etc" I met one at the park while he was training his turtle to walk on a leash and this is the crap he kept saying when I used logic.