# Here is what Earth looks like from Mars



## Rienzphotoz (Feb 8, 2014)

Many of you might have already see this image ... if you haven't then here it is ... and one of the many articles that was published in almost every newspaper on the planet:

_Nasa's Curiosity rover has taken a photograph of Earth from the surface of Mars, showing what our planet looks like from 100 million miles away.

It's rare that a single dot on a computer screen can elicit such a strong reaction, but there is something mind-blowing about Earth's diminutive appearance in the image.
While we are used to seeing vivid greens and blues and swirling cloud when the Earth is photographed from space, from this distance the planet and its moon appear like no more than a couple of bright 'evening stars'.

The picture was posted on the official Twitter account for Curiosity, which Nasa has taken to anthropomorphising, with the rover tweeting on Thursday: "Look Back in Wonder... My 1st picture of Earth from the surface of Mars."

Taken about 80 minutes after Mars' sunset on Curiosity's 529th Martian day using its 'left eye camera', the image was 'processed to remove effects of cosmic rays', with Nasa releasing a second image blowing up the smudge to make Earth and the Moon clearly visible. 

"A human observer with normal vision, if standing on Mars, could easily see Earth and the moon as two distinct, bright evening stars," a Nasa spokesperson said._


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## Rienzphotoz (Feb 8, 2014)

For those of you (like me) who are curious to know what camera was used to make this image:

From Wikipedia:
_The MastCam system provides multiple spectra and true-color imaging with two cameras.[56] The cameras can take true-color images at 1600×1200 pixels and up to 10 frames per second hardware-compressed, video at 720p (1280×720).
One MastCam camera is the Medium Angle Camera (MAC), which has a 34 mm (1.3 in) focal length, a 15-degree field of view, and can yield 22 cm/pixel (8.7 in/pixel) scale at 1 km (0.62 mi). The other camera in the MastCam is the Narrow Angle Camera (NAC), which has a 100 mm (3.9 in) focal length, a 5.1-degree field of view, and can yield 7.4 cm/pixel (2.9 in/pixel) scale at 1 km (0.62 mi).[56] Malin also developed a pair of MastCams with zoom lenses,[61] but these were not included in the rover because of the time required to test the new hardware and the looming November 2011 launch date.[62]
Each camera has eight gigabytes of flash memory, which is capable of storing over 5,500 raw images, and can apply real time lossless data compression.[56] The cameras have an autofocus capability that allows them to focus on objects from 2.1 m (6 ft 11 in) to infinity.[59] In addition to the fixed RGBG Bayer pattern filter, each camera has an eight-position filter wheel. While the Bayer filter reduces visible light throughput, all three colors are mostly transparent at wavelengths longer than 700 nm, and have minimal effect on such infrared observations.[56_


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## Rienzphotoz (Feb 8, 2014)

... and this is a comment posted by someone that goes by the online ID "NJ" ... I thought some of you might like it as much as I did:

_Consider again that dot. That's here, that's home, that's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there –on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where.... _


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## Orangutan (Feb 8, 2014)

That's a Carl Sagan quote: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/409356-consider-again-that-dot-earth-that-s-here-that-s-home-that-s



Rienzphotoz said:


> ... and this is a comment posted by someone that goes by the online ID "NJ" ... I thought someone of you might like it as much as I did:
> 
> _Consider again that dot. That's here, that's home, that's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there –on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where.... _


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## Click (Feb 8, 2014)

Very interesting Rienzphotoz. Thanks for sharing.


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## ahab1372 (Feb 8, 2014)

Horton hears a Who!


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## Rienzphotoz (Feb 8, 2014)

Orangutan said:


> That's a Carl Sagan quote: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/409356-consider-again-that-dot-earth-that-s-here-that-s-home-that-s
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I did not know that, thanks for clarifying ... looks like the NJ guy was trying to post as his own


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## Orangutan (Feb 8, 2014)

Rienzphotoz said:


> looks like the NJ guy was trying to post as his own



Maybe not; it's a rather famous quote in some circles, so he (presumably he) would have known he couldn't get away with that.


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## surapon (Feb 8, 2014)

Dear Friends.
Two years ago, I am the most lucky photographer in North Carolina, USA, to take the photos of The Planet Jupiter and her 3 Largest moon, with my Canon 5D MK II, EF 600 mm + 2X---When I see the bright star in the dark sky-----I just shoot, and CROP and enlarged 500%, and see this attached Photos----I do not know the name of this star, I send the Photo to my dear friend, Scientist. And he tell me that = Jupiter with her 3 Largest moons.
Lucky Surapon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Jupiter

NO, The 2 last photos = just the North Carolina Moon at my back yards, Not Jupiter---I wish I have Canon EF 1200 mm , and I will buy 2 more of 2X----Ha, Ha, Ha.


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## Rienzphotoz (Feb 8, 2014)

surapon said:


> Dear Friends.
> Two years ago, I am the most lucky photographer in North Carolina, USA, to take the photos of The Planet Jupiter and her 3 Largest moon, with my Canon 5D MK II, EF 600 mm + 2X---When I see the bright star in the dark sky-----I just shoot, and CROP and enlarged 500%, and see this attached Photos----I do not know the name of this star, I send the Photo to my dear friend, Scientist. And he tell me that = Jupiter with her 3 Largest moons.
> Lucky Surapon


That's AWESOME!


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## Dylan777 (Feb 8, 2014)

I thought NASA used Sony A7r - light weight and small ;D




Rienzphotoz said:


> For those of you (like me) who are curious to know what camera was used to make this image:


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## Sporgon (Feb 8, 2014)

So I think I'm right in saying if you could magnify that image enough you'd be able to look back in time at Earth eight minutes ago


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## Rienzphotoz (Feb 9, 2014)

Dylan777 said:


> I thought NASA used Sony A7r - light weight and small ;D
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No way! the a7R cannot handle the Mars Rover's shaking ... they used the Sony a7 ;D


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## Rienzphotoz (Feb 9, 2014)

Sporgon said:


> So I think I'm right in saying if you could magnify that image enough you'd be able to look back in time at Earth eight minutes ago


Interesting point.


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## jrista (Feb 9, 2014)

The really cool thing about viewing Earth from Mars is that Earth is inward of the solar system, rather than outward. It would exhibit phases like Venus does when viewed from Earth, as it orbits around the sun. So you would have New Earth phase, Waxing Earth Crescent, Waxing Earth Half, Waxing Earth Gibbous, Full Earth (largely obscured by the sun, only visible as it enters and leaves this phase, and then only moments after the sun has set on Mars), Waning Earth Gibbous, Waning Earth Half, Waning Earth Crescent.

Even cooler than Venus...with a powerful enough telescope, you could probably see the Moon's phases as well...what a sight that would be: Waxing Earth Crescent with a Waning Moon Half.


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## Rienzphotoz (Feb 9, 2014)

jrista said:


> The really cool thing about viewing Earth from Mars is that Earth is inward of the solar system, rather than outward. It would exhibit phases like Venus does when viewed from Earth, as it orbits around the sun. So you would have New Earth phase, Waxing Earth Crescent, Waxing Earth Half, Waxing Earth Gibbous, Full Earth (largely obscured by the sun, only visible as it enters and leaves this phase, and then only moments after the sun has set on Mars), Waning Earth Gibbous, Waning Earth Half, Waning Earth Crescent.
> 
> Even cooler than Venus...with a powerful enough telescope, you could probably see the Moon's phases as well...what a sight that would be: Waxing Earth Crescent with a Waning Moon Half.


That would be an epic view ... one married guy from Qatar got selected to go on a one way journey to Mars, so maybe he'll get to see "Waning Earth Gibbous, Waning Earth Half, Waning Earth Crescent" etc


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## jrista (Feb 9, 2014)

Rienzphotoz said:


> jrista said:
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> > The really cool thing about viewing Earth from Mars is that Earth is inward of the solar system, rather than outward. It would exhibit phases like Venus does when viewed from Earth, as it orbits around the sun. So you would have New Earth phase, Waxing Earth Crescent, Waxing Earth Half, Waxing Earth Gibbous, Full Earth (largely obscured by the sun, only visible as it enters and leaves this phase, and then only moments after the sun has set on Mars), Waning Earth Gibbous, Waning Earth Half, Waning Earth Crescent.
> ...



That would be one crazy trip. Maybe someone will bring along a 28" PlaneWave CDK and an ASA DDM160 mount for "Earth Observing". 

I don't think it's going to happen, though. The sheer cost of such a trip is so astronomical, not even the world's most popular reality TV show could maintain the funding for it. It would become the single most expensive project the world has ever seen, and I don't think anyone can truly survive on Mars. Not permanently. Honestly, I think when the time comes, if they really do try, it'll end up being a disaster. There are SO many things that could go wrong, not the least of which is food and water supply problems, but also technical issues and personnel issues. Even assuming they try to maintain a supply chain of food and water deliveries, that just means the cost never ends, and they would always need funding.

The key problem with the Mars One mission is the masses of people who would be required to fund it by continually watching the reality show will eventually get bored. Even if the show maintained a core viewership that would never leave, they would never represent the tens of millions of sustained viewers necessary to extract the kind of advertising revenue necessary to sustain the mission. 

There is also the inevitable TRUE realization of what these people are signing up for means...a ONE WAY trip to Mars. People think that's amazing right now...but there is no rescue plan, there is no return ship, there is no return period. It is a PERMANENT LIFE CHANGE, on a scale no one on Earth has experienced before. Psychologists can't gauge the effect of that on people, even if they try. That will have to sink in on multiple levels before people finally get it, and when they do, I'd say as much as half the people who sign up for a one way trip to Mars end up snapping once they are stuck there for a LONG year of MASSIVE hardship and the ever-present long-term threat of danger, going ape-shit crazy, when they realize they are literally marooned on another planet with no hope of return...or at least, no hope unless the Mars One mission ends up building a rescue vessel (which would take years, so all these crazy people just keep on the crazy that whole time...you know what crazy people do to space missions...we've all seen the consequences of THAT via hollywood for enough years). 

Mars One...exciting idea...bad idea. Anyway...


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## Sporgon (Feb 9, 2014)

jrista said:


> There is also the inevitable TRUE realization of what these people are signing up for means...a ONE WAY trip to Mars. People think that's amazing right now...but there is no rescue plan, there is no return ship, there is no return period. It is a PERMANENT LIFE CHANGE, on a scale no one on Earth has experienced before.



Can we make a recommendation for the first person to go on this trip ?


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## jrista (Feb 9, 2014)

Sporgon said:


> jrista said:
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> > There is also the inevitable TRUE realization of what these people are signing up for means...a ONE WAY trip to Mars. People think that's amazing right now...but there is no rescue plan, there is no return ship, there is no return period. It is a PERMANENT LIFE CHANGE, on a scale no one on Earth has experienced before.
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Hummm...am I supposed to take a hint from that?


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## Rienzphotoz (Feb 9, 2014)

jrista said:


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Maybe a bunch of hot nud3 ch!cks, and some "Big Brother" style in-house fights/arguments, drama etc, might keep the reality show going for a few decades ;D ... I wouldn't mind contributing towards the first part ;D ;D


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## Sporgon (Feb 9, 2014)

jrista said:


> Sporgon said:
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Not you I hasten to add


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## jrista (Feb 9, 2014)

Rienzphotoz said:


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Yeah...lol...thats where I thought this conversation was going!  

I suspect a bunch of hot nude chicks in a big brother style escapade is probably the best way to get everyone killed. At some point your going to get a couple of jersey shore-esque guidos going at it over the chick with big tits, and next thing you know an airlock pops open because the fools are fighting in it....derp, there goes the Mars One mission! Oh, gee, and we got to see a bunch of people bleeding from their eyes while they all died a horrifying death...on live TV...over a pair of tits.... :-\


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## Aglet (Feb 9, 2014)

speaking of the view from space, here's a concise quote


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## Rienzphotoz (Feb 10, 2014)

jrista said:


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Man you are a buzz kill ;D... here I was thinking "happy thoughts" about "hot nud3 ch!cks à la Big Brother style" and you just killed them all in a gory fashion with bleeding eyes and what not  ... I propose we all think happy thoughts about those nice ch!cks floating gently in the capsule and the all "airlocks are tightly sealed" ... in addition they all reach safely to Mars and when the ch!cks are getting old, they are safely brought back to earth and replaced with newer hotter ones to live on Mars until they too are replaced and the cycle goes on to keep us all happy ... so whenever we get worked up about DxO discussions, we can go watch them live (or 5 to 15 minutes delayed transmission). So, please, no more killing of the hot ch!cks ... if gore is absolutely necessary for TRPs, (in order to keep Mars mission funding alive and healthy), a few of the dudes can go ;D


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## Rienzphotoz (Feb 10, 2014)

Aglet said:


> speaking of the view from space, here's a concise quote


Well said.


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## jrista (Feb 10, 2014)

Rienzphotoz said:


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Hey man, you can get all that right here on earth! No need to wait for Mars One! ;D Of course, if everyone on the mars one mission does eventually go bonkers, there is no reason to assume they wont all take their clothes off like normal crazy ppl and have crazy martian orgies while their minds disappear...you never know!


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## Rienzphotoz (Feb 10, 2014)

jrista said:


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Although we can get "all that right here on earth", there is a problem with that, for old married guys like me ... you see when it's available right here, the wife no like, coz she thinks I might action my thoughts ... but if its in Mars, she'll feel safe that the old man can't go there and that everything is just harmless/wishful happy thoughts ... but she don't know the old man gets quite a bit of pleasure from happy thoughts ;D 
But I must confess that I do find your idea of people going bonkers, clothes off, crazy ppl, martian orgy, minds disappear etc *very very exciting* ;D  ;D  ;D


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