The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera would make a great backyard telescope for viewing Mars, and we can also use it at Mars to view other planets. This is an image of Earth and the moon, acquired on October 3, 2007, by the HiRISE camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
At the time the image was taken, Earth was 142 million kilometers (88 million miles) from Mars, giving the HiRISE image a scale of 142 kilometers (88 miles) per pixel, an Earth diameter of about 90 pixels and a moon diameter of 24 pixels. The phase angle is 98 degrees, which means that less than half of the disk of the Earth and the disk of the moon have direct illumination. We could image Earth and moon at full disk illumination only when they are on the opposite side of the sun from Mars, but then the range would be much greater and the image would show less detail.
Click image for higher resolution.
March 4th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
There’s no place like home…
March 4th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Thanks. I now have a new background.
March 4th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Fraud! It’s elephants all the way down!
March 4th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
[...] …as photographed from Mars. [...]
March 4th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Far out.
March 4th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Shadow Merchant Good one! However, I thought the line was “It’s turtles all the way down!”
March 4th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Heartbreakingly beautiful. A perfect jewel among the many jewels of heaven! I like your political stand,too. Our times are getting way too interesting.
March 4th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
I can see my house from here!
heh
March 4th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
[...] Earth and the Moon from Mars. [...]
March 4th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Sweet!
I can’t make out Obama’s halo, though.
March 4th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
[...] story. Hat tip. Full-resolution [...]
March 4th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
It is worth pointing out that the moon is 30 earth diameters from the earth, though it can appear to be less depending on the angle of the photo.
March 4th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Better take care of that tiny blue sphere. We’re not quite ready to move camp yet.
March 4th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
I am stealing this for my blog.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Why can Mars see Earth well … but Mars from Earth looks like a tiny star?
March 4th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Desktop.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
[...] Below the Beltway by way of [...]
March 4th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
If you squint you can just make out the canals…
March 4th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
One can see the Earth so well in this picture because this picture is taken through a telescope.
March 5th, 2008 at 9:34 am
I wonder what the view would look like to the naked eye? Would it be a bright planet like we would see Venus?
March 6th, 2008 at 12:12 am
This is terrific. Great photo, I am digging it.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:25 am
I am in agreement with “Little Nemo” We are not ready to make the changes necessary to save our planet much less our own selves.
March 6th, 2008 at 6:04 am
Wednesday, March 05, 2008 06:52 AM…
Picture of the day: The Earth and the Moon, as seen from Mars. Wow. This brought tears to my eye in a “pale blue dot” sort of way. Imagine all the crap stuff going on here, and it is all contained on that little ball……
March 6th, 2008 at 8:29 am
[...] in this lifetime, anyway. Earth and the moon – but seen from another planet. This entry was written by RichieD and posted on March 6, 2008 at 6:24 am and filed under B.S.. [...]
March 6th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
You are not alone.
March 7th, 2008 at 12:38 am
Ah, retarded people make life more interesting…we can see Earth and the Moon better from Mars because Mars is closer. Heh he…its true.
March 10th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
I feel so small!