Your Home Planet, as Seen From Mars

This hauntingly beautiful image shows the Earth and Moon going about their business on Nov. 20, 2016 , the image was taken from Mars orbit using the MRO HiRISE camera.
(right click the image and open in new tab for full size)

The combined view retains the correct positions and sizes of the two bodies relative to each other. The distance between Earth and the moon is about 30 times the diameter of Earth. Earth and the moon appear closer than they actually are in this image because the observation was planned for a time at which the moon was almost directly behind Earth, from Mars' point of view, to see the Earth-facing side of the moon.
www.nasa.gov...

The red spot in the middle of Earth is Australia.

a reply to: gortex

pretty cool, thanks...now what the hell OZ?! just a big rock full of red dirt and beautiful women

a reply to: gortex

Was there any magnification involved in capturing this image?

I know the Moon is large, but it seems just a tad too large for it to be un-magnified.

Cool pic nonetheless! S+F

a reply to: swanne

According to NASA the picture shows them both at the correct size and distance.

Caught that on space.com this morning. Stunning look at our home! S&F

a reply to: gortex

Mars as seen from Earth on its closest approach is 0.0071 of a degree as seen from Earth, and we can't see any details on it without magnification.

Now, the Moon would be 0.0018 of a degree max, closest approach, if seen from Mars. Yet we are seeing lunar mare details in the picture. Something ain't right - I'm certain there was some magnification involved.

a reply to: swanne

According to the link the picture was timed so the Moon was behind the Earth.

Earth and the moon appear closer than they actually are in this image because the observation was planned for a time at which the moon was almost directly behind Earth,

a reply to: gortex

Wouldn't it being "behind Earth" make the Moon even farther from Mars instead of closer?

Those NASA animators sure are talented

a reply to: swanne

Your guess is as good as mine mate.

a reply to: gortex

I think I've found the answer. From wiki:

HiRISE incorporates a 0.5-meter primary mirror, the largest optical telescope ever sent beyond Earth's orbit. The mass of the instrument is 64.2 kg.

I thought as much. There was no way Earth / Moon would appear that big in Mars' sky without magnification.

Edit:

Sorry, I guess I'm just being nitpicking. It truly is an amazing picture.

a reply to: gortex

That's fantastically beautiful but...

Your Home Planet...

Where's your home planet, gortex?

I always knew something was fishy.

a reply to: Dan00

They say home is where the heart is so my home would have to be Mars.

a reply to: gortex

I choose Space.

Ha, now I can claim the whole universe as ancestral territory.

originally posted by: gortex
This hauntingly beautiful image shows the Earth and Moon going about their business on Nov. 20, 2016 , the image was taken from Mars orbit using the MRO HiRISE camera.
(right click the image and open in new tab for full size)

The combined view retains the correct positions and sizes of the two bodies relative to each other. The distance between Earth and the moon is about 30 times the diameter of Earth. Earth and the moon appear closer than they actually are in this image because the observation was planned for a time at which the moon was almost directly behind Earth, from Mars' point of view, to see the Earth-facing side of the moon.
www.nasa.gov...

The red spot in the middle of Earth is Australia.

open your paint program [ gimp in my case ] and remove hue progressively , when you see the picture below then tell me this is not a copy and paste job.

a reply to: 23432

According to NASA, they enhanced the Moon separately from Earth because otherwise you wouldn't see the Moon (it's a pretty dark body).

For reference, here's the view of Earth from the DSCOVR satellite on the same day:



I'm sure there are satellite images from Earth orbit out there too!

DSCOVR link: epic.gsfc.nasa.gov...

But it's not flat!

Still cool though..

originally posted by: swanne
a reply to: 23432

According to NASA, they enhanced the Moon separately from Earth because otherwise you wouldn't see the Moon (it's a pretty dark body).

Cute explanation but it shows that NASA [ Never A Straight Answer ] doesn't have the balls to disclose real Data for scrutiny.

Too dogmatic for my liking to be quite honest.

originally posted by: 23432

originally posted by: swanne
a reply to: 23432

According to NASA, they enhanced the Moon separately from Earth because otherwise you wouldn't see the Moon (it's a pretty dark body).

Cute explanation but it shows that NASA [ Never A Straight Answer ] doesn't have the balls to disclose real Data for scrutiny.

Too dogmatic for my liking to be quite honest.

They show you a photograph, tell you exactly how it was taken and composed, and somehow this isn't good enough.