Skip all navigation and jump to content Jump to site navigation Jump to section navigation.
NASA Logo - Goddard Space Flight Center + Visit NASA.gov
HOME PROJECTS RESOURCES SEARCH MAP

+ Advanced Search
Home
Home
View Most Recently Released Imagery
View Gallery of Imagery: A topical collection of SVS Imagery
Search Imagery by the keywords assigned to it
Search Imagery by the instruments that supplied data for a visualization product
Search Imagery by the series of visualizations that have been produced
Search Imagery by the scientist providing the data used in a visualization product
Search Imagery by the animator that created the product
Search Imagery by the identification number assigned to the visualization product
See other search options
Learn about the SVS Image Server
  + About the Server
  + Animation List
  + How to Use the Server


  + RSS Feeds
blank image
Previous Animation
Next Animation
BlueMarble Next Generation Images from Terra/MODIS
The Blue Marble Next Generation (BMNG) data set provides a monthly global cloud-free true-color picture of the Earth's landcover at a 500-meter spatial resolution. This data set, shown on a globe, is derived from monthly data collected in 2004. The ocean color is derived from applying a depth shading to the bathymetry data. The Antarctica coverage snown is the Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica. Behind the Earth is a skymap from the Tycho and Hipparcos star catalogs. This skymap is plotted in plate carrée projection (Cylindrical-Equidistant) using celestial coordinates making them suitable for mapping onto spheres in many popular animation programs. The stars are plotted as gaussian point-spread functions (PSF) so the size and amplitude of the stars corresponds to their relative intensity. The stars are also elongated in Right Ascension (celestial longitude) based on declination (celestial latitude) so stars in the polar regions will still be round when projected on a sphere. Stars fainter than the threshold magnitude, usually selected as 5th magnitude, have their magnitude-intensity curve adjusted so they appear brighter than they really are. This makes the band of the Milky Way more visible. Stellar colors are assigned based on B and V magnitudes (B and V are stellar magnitudes measured through different filters). If Tycho B and V magnitudes are unavailable, Johnson B and V magnitudes are used instead. From these, an effective stellar temperature is derived using the algorithms described in Flower (ApJ 469, 355 1996). Corrections were noted from Siobahn Morgan (UNI). The effective temperature was then converted to CIE tristimulus X,Y,Z triples assuming a black-body emission distribution. The X,Y,Z values are then converted to red-green-blue color pixels. About 2.4 million stars are plotted, but many may be below the pixel intensity resolution. The three most conspicuously missing objects on these maps are the Andromeda galaxy (M31) and the two Magellanic Clouds.

The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area. It has a surface area of 371,000 square kilometers (143,244 sq mi) and a volume of 78,200 cubic kilometers (18,761 cu mi). It has a salinity of approximately 1.2%, about a third the salinity of most seawater.    The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area. It has a surface area of 371,000 square kilometers (143,244 sq mi) and a volume of 78,200 cubic kilometers (18,761 cu mi). It has a salinity of approximately 1.2%, about a third the salinity of most seawater.

Available formats:
  7506 x 4587     TIFF 37 MB
  320 x 195         PNG 322 KB


View the Mediterranean Sea, Aegean Sea, Adriatic Sea, Baltic Sea, Dead Sea, Caspian Sea, Aral Sea, Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf.    View the Mediterranean Sea, Aegean Sea, Adriatic Sea, Baltic Sea, Dead Sea, Caspian Sea, Aral Sea, Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf.

Available formats:
  7506 x 4587     TIFF 39 MB
  320 x 195         PNG 323 KB


The outline of North America is exceedingly irregular; some extensive coastal reaches are relatively smooth, but by and large the coastline is broken and embayed, with many prominent offshore islands. The continent has three enormous coastal indentations: Hudson Bay in the northeast, the Gulf of Mexico in the southeast, and the Gulf of Alaska in the northwest.    The outline of North America is exceedingly irregular; some extensive coastal reaches are relatively smooth, but by and large the coastline is broken and embayed, with many prominent offshore islands. The continent has three enormous coastal indentations: Hudson Bay in the northeast, the Gulf of Mexico in the southeast, and the Gulf of Alaska in the northwest.

Available formats:
  7506 x 4587     TIFF 35 MB
  320 x 195         PNG 316 KB


This image of the Mediterranian Sea shows that this inland sea is bordered on the north by Europe, the east by Asia, and in the south by Africa. This 969,100 sq. mile body of water is approximately 2,300 miles in length, and has a maximum depth of 16,896 ft. Major subdivisions include the Adriatic Sea, Aegean Sea, Balearic Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea, Ionian Sea and Ligurian Sea.    This image of the Mediterranian Sea shows that this inland sea is bordered on the north by Europe, the east by Asia, and in the south by Africa. This 969,100 sq. mile body of water is approximately 2,300 miles in length, and has a maximum depth of 16,896 ft. Major subdivisions include the Adriatic Sea, Aegean Sea, Balearic Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea, Ionian Sea and Ligurian Sea.

Available formats:
  7506 x 4587     TIFF 38 MB
  320 x 195         PNG 317 KB


South America, the planet's 4th largest continent, includes (12) countries and (3) major territories. It contains the massive Amazon River and surrounding basin - the largest tropical rain forest in the world; the toothy-edged Andes Mountains, that stretch the entire length of the continent, and some of the most diverse and spectacular landforms on the planet.    South America, the planet's 4th largest continent, includes (12) countries and (3) major territories. It contains the massive Amazon River and surrounding basin - the largest tropical rain forest in the world; the toothy-edged Andes Mountains, that stretch the entire length of the continent, and some of the most diverse and spectacular landforms on the planet.

Available formats:
  7506 x 4587     TIFF 27 MB
  320 x 195         PNG 306 KB


This image shows the 3 regions in North Africa: The Sahara, the Sahel, and the Sudan. The Sahel, a word derived from the Arabic ’sahil’ meaning shore, is a semi-arid belt of barren, sandy and rock-strewn land which stretches 3,860km across the breadth of the African continent and marks the physical and cultural divide between the continent’s more fertile south (the Sudan Region) and Saharan desert north.    This image shows the 3 regions in North Africa: The Sahara, the Sahel, and the Sudan. The Sahel, a word derived from the Arabic ’sahil’ meaning shore, is a semi-arid belt of barren, sandy and rock-strewn land which stretches 3,860km across the breadth of the African continent and marks the physical and cultural divide between the continent’s more fertile south (the Sudan Region) and Saharan desert north.

Available formats:
  5400 x 3300     TIFF 19 MB
  320 x 195         PNG 319 KB
  160 x 80           PNG 66 KB
  80 x 40             PNG 17 KB


This image contains a view of the United States, Canada, and Greenland.    This image contains a view of the United States, Canada, and Greenland.

Available formats:
  5400 x 3300     TIFF 20 MB
  320 x 195         PNG 318 KB


Europe, the planet's 6th largest continent includes 47 countries and assorted dependencies and territories.<p> The European continent is separated from Asia by Russia's Ural Mountains, and the Caspian and Black Seas.    Europe, the planet's 6th largest continent includes 47 countries and assorted dependencies and territories.

The European continent is separated from Asia by Russia's Ural Mountains, and the Caspian and Black Seas.

Available formats:
  5400 x 3300     TIFF 20 MB
  320 x 195         PNG 318 KB


This image shows the Arctic. The North Pole is in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. The Arctic Ocean is surrounded by Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Russia. The ocean is 4000 meters deep. Although it is an ocean, it is water you can walk on. There are 2-3 meter thick ice floes floating on the water at the North Pole. In summer the temperatures are near 0 centigrade and there is light. In winter the temperature is about -30 centigrade and it is dark.    This image shows the Arctic. The North Pole is in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. The Arctic Ocean is surrounded by Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Russia. The ocean is 4000 meters deep. Although it is an ocean, it is water you can walk on. There are 2-3 meter thick ice floes floating on the water at the North Pole. In summer the temperatures are near 0 centigrade and there is light. In winter the temperature is about -30 centigrade and it is dark.

Available formats:
  5400 x 3300     TIFF 21 MB
  320 x 195         PNG 321 KB


North Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa.The Atlas Mountains, which extend across much of Morocco, northern Algeria and Tunisia, are part of the fold mountain system which also runs through much of Southern Europe.    North Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa.The Atlas Mountains, which extend across much of Morocco, northern Algeria and Tunisia, are part of the fold mountain system which also runs through much of Southern Europe.

Available formats:
  7506 x 4587     TIFF 38 MB
  320 x 195         PNG 321 KB

Animation Number:3539
Animators:Lori Perkins (SVS) (Lead)
 Tom Bridgman (SVS)
Completed:2008-08-20
Instrument:Terra/MODIS
Data set:Blue Marble Next Generation Seasonal Landcover
Data Collected:Blue Marble Next Generation Seasonal Landcover: 2004-01 to 2004-12
Keywords:
DLESE >> Cryology
SVS >> HDTV
SVS >> Sea Ice
GCMD >> EARTH SCIENCE >> Cryosphere
 
 
Please give credit for this item to
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

The Blue Marble Next Generation data is courtesy of Reto Stockli (NASA/GSFC).


Back to Top

USA.gov logo - the U.S. Government's official Web portal. + Privacy Policy and Important Notices
+ Reproduction Guidelines 		NASA NASA Official:
SVS Contact:
Curator: