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The “Hello World” and “Blue Marble” photos of the earth draw many wrong conclusions. So let’s set the fact straight
Astronomy

The “Hello World” and “Blue Marble” photos of the earth draw many wrong conclusions. So let’s set the fact straight


People keep putting the recent Earth images shared from Artemis II next to the “Blue Marble” from Apollo 17 and then saying things like “Earth looks dirtier now” or “the new photos look worse because of digital camera.” Etc.

That comparison doesn’t hold up. So let’s set the fact straight.

The Blue Marble everyone recognizes is not a straight-out-of-camera image. The versions that circulate today have been processed. Colors were balanced, contrast was adjusted, and the image was cleaned up for clarity. NASA has released multiple versions over time, and the one most people have in mind is already enhanced.

On the Artemis side, the being shared “Hello World”were taken under completely different conditions. It was shot on the night side of Earth with very high ISO of 51200, and a shutter speed 1/4 second, by Nikon D5. That kind of exposure brightens everything far beyond what the human eye would see, which is why the planet can look dim and noisy. And also the stars and auroras can be seen because of that exposure.

If you compare an original Apollo 17 film scan of “Blue Marble” that hasn’t been retouched with the Artemis’s “Hello World” image that isn’t pushed with extreme exposure settings, they look far more similar than people expect.

Top Left: Artemis II’s photo of the earth as the astronauts would see by Commander Reid Wiseman https://www.nasa.gov/image-detail/amf-art002e000193/

Top Right: Artemis II’s “Hello World” https://images.nasa.gov/details/art002e000192

Bottom Left: Apollo 17’s “Blue Marble” not retouched https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Blue\_Marble#/media/File%3AApollo\_17\_Blue\_Marble\_original\_orientation\_(AS17-148-22727).jpg

Bottom Right: Apollo 17’s “Blue Marble” retouched. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Blue\_Marble#/media/File%3AThe\_Blue\_Marble%2C\_AS17-148-22727.jpg

by Effect-Kitchen

View 5 Comments

5 Comments

  2. alalaladede on

    It is actually testament to 50 years of progress in photography technology from film to highly sensitive digital sensors, that enabled them to extract a reasonably good looking image from a quick shot if the _nightside_ of earth.

  3. Chinese_Lover89 on

    Wasn’t the original blue marble flipped 180 degrees but they turned it around to make it look nicer and more recognizable?

  5. the_watcher_oo on

    So for the top 2, supposed to be the latest from Artemis or whatever right? One during the day and the other at night. WHY HASN’T ANY OF THE CLOUD FORMATION CHANGED??? That’s impossible!!! It’s all CGI, and lazy work too coz they just darkened the same image!

    It’s pathetic! Also why they launched it on April Fools of all days just to take the piss of all you clowns who believe this utter nonsense!