In preparation for the 40th anniversary of the first LandSat launch, NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have put together a collection of images to showcase an artistic side of the satellite program.
The agency has collected “Earth as Art” images that depict more than 120 visual landscapes of mountains, islands, grasslands, and other features. The LandSat images were enhanced through vivid coloring techniques with the use of a digital palate to highlight certain features of the Earth.
Areas include the Dardzha Monster in western Turkmenistan, the Vatnajokull Glacier Ice Cap in Iceland, and Lake Disappointment in Western Australia. NASA and USGS are asking people to vote for their Top Five favorite images. The five most popular images will be announced on July 23 at a LandSat celebration in Washington, D,C. Voting is now open and will close on July 6.
You can vote here.
The LandSat Program’s satellites, built by NASA and operated by USGS, are used in Earth-observing missions to understand a variety of scientific issues. The satellites gather data about the Earth to provide important information to policymakers, scientists, and land-resource managers. The satellites are able to record short-terms events, such as volcanic eruptions, and long-term events, such as the regrowth from forest fires. By recording man-made and natural Earth events, the LandSat Program has been able to provide vital data regarding our planet since 1972. The next scheduled LandSat satellite (LandSat 8 ) launch is set for January 2013.