Photo Gallery: Earth

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Earth From the Moon

Photograph courtesy NASA

This photo was the world's first view of Earth taken near the moon. It was snapped by the U.S. Lunar Orbiter I on August 23, 1966, when the spacecraft was just about to pass behind the moon on its 16th orbit.

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Earth's Moon

Photograph courtesy NASA

The moon's lunar highlands (light areas) and maria, or volcanic plains, (dark areas) are clearly visible in this photograph taken by the Expedition 10 crew onboard the International Space Station.

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Earth and Moon

Photograph courtesy NASA

The moon is caught between Earth and the space shuttle Discovery in this photo taken in 1988. This shuttle mission marked the return of U.S. Senator—and pioneering astronaut—John Glenn to space.

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Indian Ocean

Photograph courtesy NASA

Clouds ripple across the Indian Ocean in this photograph taken from the space shuttle Discovery in 1999. This shuttle mission, STS-96, lasted 9 days, 19 hours, 13 minutes, and 57 seconds and covered 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometers).

Earth During a Solar Eclipse

Photograph courtesy Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales

The moon's shadow darkens part of Earth during a solar eclipse. Only people underneath the center of that dark spot will see the total eclipse; others will see a partial eclipse. This shot was taken from the Mir space station in August 1999.