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Juno Looks Back, Photographs Earth-Moon System

Posted by Soulskill on from the we-tread-upon-specks dept.

astroengine writes "Looking back as it zooms through interplanetary space, less than a month into its 445-million mile, five-year journey to the gas giant Jupiter, NASA's spacecraft Juno captured a portrait of the Earth and moon. Juno was 6 million miles away at the time. 'This is a remarkable sight people get to see all too rarely,' said Scott Bolton, Juno principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. 'This view of our planet shows how Earth looks from the outside, illustrating a special perspective of our role and place in the universe. We see a humbling yet beautiful view of ourselves.'"

5 of 100 comments (clear)

  1. Better view from Mars Express by bjomape · · Score: 5, Informative

    The Mars Express spacecraft got a better (IMHO) shot a few years back: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/express/newsroom/pressreleases/20030717a_image01.html

    1. Re:Better view from Mars Express by niktemadur · · Score: 4, Informative

      Back in 1977 when Voyager 1 began its' journey, it took this classic snapshot:
      http://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/The-Earth-Moon-System1.jpg

      --
      Lil' Thindime, lilting a lacrimose lament, krashes the kwaint konfines of Kokonino Kounty
  2. Pale Blue Dot by macraig · · Score: 3, Informative

    A quote of Carl Sagan, for those who don't know.

  3. Uncultured Swine by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupToqz1e2g

  4. Re:This is cool and all... by Confusador · · Score: 3, Informative

    They just go the camera turned on, so no. It'll be back for a flyby in a couple years, though, so we should get a cooler shot then.