- #1
- 1,958
- 7
very cool
http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/05/22/earth.mars.ap/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/05/22/earth.mars.ap/index.html
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Did Carl Sagan Lobby for This Iconic Image of Earth from Mars Orbit?
Click For Summary
Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the iconic image of Earth taken from Mars orbit, exploring the technical aspects of the image quality, the context of its capture, and the involvement of Carl Sagan in advocating for the photograph. The scope includes technical explanations, conceptual clarifications, and historical context regarding space photography.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory
- Technical explanation
- Conceptual clarification
- Historical
Main Points Raised
- Some participants express curiosity about the blurriness of the Earth image, questioning whether it is due to poor camera quality.
- One participant suggests that the camera used was designed for surveying Mars and not for capturing distant objects like Earth, which may explain the lack of resolution.
- Another participant mentions that the image represents a significant improvement over previous images of Earth from Mars, which appeared as mere dots.
- A participant references a famous image taken by Voyager 1, highlighting the vast distance from which it was captured compared to the Mars image.
- There is mention of Carl Sagan's lobbying efforts to capture the image, despite concerns about potential damage to the camera and the perceived lack of scientific value.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants generally agree on the technical limitations of the camera used for the Earth image and the significance of Sagan's advocacy. However, there are differing views on the image's scientific value and the implications of its quality.
Contextual Notes
The discussion touches on the limitations of the camera's design and the assumptions regarding the scientific value of the image, which remain unresolved.
- #2
RuroumiKenshin
Why does Earth look blurry?
- #3
John MacNeil
Here's a larger picture,
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/images/20030522a-02_hr.jpg
which is off this site,
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/20030522a.html
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/images/20030522a-02_hr.jpg
which is off this site,
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/20030522a.html
- #4
dav2008
Gold Member
- 589
- 1
Crappy cameras? Read what john posted
- #5
- 1,958
- 7
I'm thinking that its actually a great camera being used for something that is outside of its design range.
The photos were taken from the Mars Global Surveyor...which is in orbit around Mars...and is there for the purpose of looking at Mars. In other words, the camera is designed to survey things that are a few hundred miles away and, due to a "fortuitous alignment", was used this one time to grab a snapshot of the Earth which is millions of miles away. It does not have the resolution capability to bring the Earth into greater focus although it can take high-res photos of the Martian surface.
But hey, it's a better view of Earth than you can get of Mars with any cheap telescope. (does that sentence make any sense? )
Anyway, they had the opportunity to take this shot out of curiousity. As far as I know, the previous shot of Earth from Mars just looked like a small dot...so this is a big improvement.
No new discoveries here...just an interesting picture (Earth from a new perspective).
The photos were taken from the Mars Global Surveyor...which is in orbit around Mars...and is there for the purpose of looking at Mars. In other words, the camera is designed to survey things that are a few hundred miles away and, due to a "fortuitous alignment", was used this one time to grab a snapshot of the Earth which is millions of miles away. It does not have the resolution capability to bring the Earth into greater focus although it can take high-res photos of the Martian surface.
But hey, it's a better view of Earth than you can get of Mars with any cheap telescope. (does that sentence make any sense? )
Anyway, they had the opportunity to take this shot out of curiousity. As far as I know, the previous shot of Earth from Mars just looked like a small dot...so this is a big improvement.
No new discoveries here...just an interesting picture (Earth from a new perspective).
- #6
kleinma
- 92
- 0
Phobos.. you thinkin of this shot maybe??
http://www.space.com/images/blue_dot_010925_03.jpg
it was actually taken by Voyager 1 in 1991..
while the shot of the Earth from Mars was a small distance of 86 million miles away.. this snap shot was actually 4 BILLION MILES away from earth..
the colored beam is that runs across the Earth in the shot is sunlight relecting in the camera...
its a pretty cool shot.. even if it is only a tiny dot
http://www.space.com/images/blue_dot_010925_03.jpg
it was actually taken by Voyager 1 in 1991..
while the shot of the Earth from Mars was a small distance of 86 million miles away.. this snap shot was actually 4 BILLION MILES away from earth..
the colored beam is that runs across the Earth in the shot is sunlight relecting in the camera...
its a pretty cool shot.. even if it is only a tiny dot
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- #7
- 1,958
- 7
that's the one!
Sagan said he had to do some heavy lobbying to get the mission folks to agree to take that one (they feared that the camera may be damaged when pointed toward the sun like that, plus they knew it would only show a dot at best and that it would have no real scientific value).
Anyway, I'm glad we have it for philosophical purposes.
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