Shuttle Photography Basics
Shuttle Photography Basics
| The Photography |
| Photographs taken by NASA astronauts from space provide us with a unique view of the Earth. Consisting of over 450,000 individual photographs, this collection is truely a national treasure. Some background information on these photographs can be found at the following sites. NASA About the Photographs (basic information about Shuttle photographs) NASA Frequently Asked Questions (answers to some common questions) NASA About Human Spaceflight (information on humans photographers in space) |
| Image Interpretation |
| Interpreting features on the Earth seen in Shuttle photographs is like putting together a puzzle. To properly make sense of the puzzle, one must consider colors, shapes, patterns, textures, and shadows, as well as the relative sizes of nearby features. One of the best ways to master this skill is to view as many images as possible. Background information on image interpretation can be found at the following sites. How to Find Mt. Everest (a NASA interactive tutorial using Shuttle photography) A Gallery of Photos (some features common in Shuttle photographs) Remote Sensing Tutorial (VERY DETAILED tutorial on image interpretation) |
| Geography Quizzes |
| Shuttle photographs allow us to experience what the Earth looks from the perspective of an astronaut in space. As such, the colors in these photos and the perspectives are those of someone looking out of a window. How well do you know geography? Test your knowledge of global geography at the following sites. (You may need to get out an atlas.) Shuttle Photo Quiz (from Texas A&M International Center) Where in the World is this? (from NASA Earth Science & Image Analysis) (Hit REFRESH to get new test scene) |
| Photo Data Sources |
| Most of the best photographs of the Earth from Space can be viewed online at various NASA sites. Search for photos of interest by browsing in the appropriate sites. NASA Earth From Space (browse photo archive by various categories) NASA Mission Highlights (browse photo archive by Shuttle/ISS mission) NASA Clickable Map (browse photo archive by approximate location) NASA Technical Search (browse photo archive by specific parameters) |
| Useful References |
| A wealth of satellite imagery, Shuttle photography, and related educational materials are available online. The following sites may provide useful background information to help you understand the natural and anthropogenic (human-induced) patterns found across the surface of the Earth. Geomorphology from Space (background material on the Earth's landforms) NASA Visible Earth (excellent satellite imagery and Shuttle photographs) NOAA OSEI Imagery (satellite imagery of important phenomena) 3-D Tour of the Solar System (a comparison of landforms in this solar system) |
| Related Sites |
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Grant
F. Walton Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis (CRSSA) |
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Site last updated 8 September 2003 |