The Blue Marble

The Blue Marble is a famous photograph of Earth taken on December 7, 1972, by Harrison Schmitt aboard the Apollo 17 spacecraft as it traveled toward the Moon. The picture was captured from about 29,400 kilometers away and has become one of the most widely shared images in history.

In the original photograph, the South Pole is toward the top, showing parts of the Mediterranean Sea, Antarctica, the Arabian Peninsula, and Madagascar. It was the first time the south polar ice cap could be photographed from this angle. Many parts of Africa and the Indian Ocean are clearly visible, along with a cyclone in the Indian Ocean, the South Asian mainland, Australia, and the eastern edge of South America.

In 2012, NASA created a series of similar images called “blue marble” images. These were made by combining many satellite pictures taken over time to show the whole Earth with as few clouds as possible. NASA confirms these 2012 images are made from many different photos and cannot show the entire Earth perfectly clear at once.

Photograph

The photograph was taken on December 7, 1972, by the crew of the Apollo 17 command module named America. From their view, Earth looked like a glass marble floating in space.

The Blue Marble was not the first clear picture of Earth from space, but it became very famous. It showed our planet looking small and alone in the big universe, which helped many people think more about taking care of Earth. Today, it is one of the most seen photos in history.

The photo was taken about halfway through the trip to the Moon, when most of Earth was lit up by the Sun. It shows many weather patterns, including a big storm that had caused trouble in Tamil Nadu a few days before. The picture was made using a special camera and film, and though all three astronauts took photos, it is believed that Harrison Schmitt was the one who took this famous shot.

Subsequent Blue Marble images

Since the original Blue Marble photograph, many similar images of Earth have been made and are also called Blue Marble images. The term "blue marble" is often used by groups that want to remind people to care for our planet.

In 2001 and 2002, NASA made new Blue Marble images using satellite data. In 2005, NASA made an even better set called Blue Marble Next Generation. These pictures showed the whole Earth without clouds and helped us see how the seasons change.

In 2012, NASA made a new picture called Blue Marble 2012. This image showed the Western side of Earth and was seen by millions of people online. Another picture, called Black Marble, showed Earth at night, highlighting places where people live and work.

In 2015, a special satellite called DSCOVR took another Blue Marble photo from far away in space. This picture showed the Western Hemisphere of Earth, including places like the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

In April 2026, during a trip toward the Moon, a astronaut took a new photo of Earth called Hello, World. This was the first time since the original Blue Marble that a person had taken a picture of the whole Earth from space. The South Pole was at the top of this picture, just like in the original Blue Marble.

Cultural reception

The Blue Marble photo has become one of the most famous and influential pictures ever since it was shared. Many people see it as a strong call to protect our planet and its environment.

Some have talked about how pictures like The Blue Marble, taken from space, might take attention away from important problems on Earth. They also note that the image was created by a country that leads in space travel, shaping how we see our world in a very broad way instead of encouraging deeper thinking about our planet.