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What does an alien see when they gaze in the direction of our solar system and little blue orb of Earth we call home?
Scientists got their answer to that question after an Earth craft that is now 31 million miles away from us sent back pictures of the Earth and our orbiting Moon. The spacecraft is on a comet survey mission.
The view the craft sent back shows a brief video of Earth and the Moon and gives astronomers and other scientists some pretty important clues that will help humakind’s endeavor with future man and unmanned deep space missions.
“Making a video of Earth from so far away helps the search for other life-bearing planets in the Universe by giving insights into how a distant, Earth-like alien world would appear to us,” stated Michael A’Hearn, a University of Maryland astronomer who leads the project using NASA’s Deep Impact spacecraft.
“Our video shows some specific features that are important for observations of Earth-like planets orbiting other stars,” added Drake Deming of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
“A ‘sun glint’ can be seen in the movie, caused by light reflected from Earth’s oceans, and similar glints to be observed from extrasolar planets could indicate alien oceans,” Deming added.
“Also, we used infrared light instead of the normal red light to make the color composite images, and that makes the land masses much more visible.”
Planetary theorist Sara Seager was quick to add that, “To image Earth in a similar fashion, an alien civilization would need technology far beyond what Earthlings can even dream of building.”
You can search for this eye-opening NASA video and its related static images HERE.
[Image used in this story shows Earth/Moon view from Mars]
Hey! I can see my house from here!!!
All kidding aside, awsome photo!
Wild to see the Moon crossing the Earth.