The lidless eyes of the satellites circle the Earth, looking down upon the surface. The images that satellites like the U.S. Geological Survey’s Landsat 7 become instant feedback about our effect on the planet, how the Earth is shaped by processes both human and natural. But as this collection of photos from an exhibition at the Library of Congress in Washington shows, satellite image can be made into art as well. Band combinations and shades in these Landsat images were optimized to dramatize their appearance, to show off the colors and the contrasts of the Earth. The result is breathtaking.
The Earth as Art: Satellite Images of Our Planet from Orbit
USGS / NASA
COLMINA VOLCANO, MEXICO - Snow-capped Colima Volcano rises abruptly from the surrounding landscape in the state of Jalisco. Colima is actually a melding of two volcanoes, the older Nevado de Colima to the north and the younger, active Volcan de Colima to the south.