Nasa has released this incredible high-res image of the Earth,
taken by the recently launched Earth-observing satellite, Suomi NPP.
The image, which centers on North and Central America, has been
nicknamed "Blue Marble 2012" after the famous "Blue Marble" image (below) taken during the
Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The original Blue Marble, featuring the
Arabian Peninsula and Africa, is one of the most well recognized
photographs of all time.
Suomi NPP is designed to help improve weather forecasts and
increase scientists' understanding of long-term climate change.
Originally called the National Polar-orbiting Operational
Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project, the probe was
renamed on 24 January in honor of the late Verner E. Suomi, known
as the "father of satellite meteorology".
The Suomi satellite compiled this enormous image from small
sections that it photographed over the course of 4 January, 2012,
and the pictures were later stitched together.
You can download the full image in extremely high resolution (8,000 x 8,000