In a bit of a magnificent role reversal, NASA has just released remastered images of the Earth rising over the moon.
Taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) back in 2009, scientists who monitored and remotely operated the mutli-lensed camera turned its focus away from the surface of the moon toward our rising planet. Subsequently, the LRO snapped a series of images of the vista with one of its narrower lenses, which the scientists patched together, creating a fully-rendered photo of the event.
Additionally, a camera with a wider lens installed on the craft was used to take pictures in tandem with the initial black and white lens, lending the final image a color palette.
"The colors are only approximately what an intrepid explorer would see from the Moon," wrote researchers in a release published on the LRO website, which was imperative in the creation of the image.
"[B]ecause the human eye is fully sensitive to all colors across the visible wavelength range, whereas the [wide angle camera] sees through a set of narrow band filters," it added.
The scientists confessed that the color saturation and composition might be a bit exaggerated, but maintained the integrity of the final product, stating that "the ... contrast stretch makes for a spectacular image, but it may be misleading in a purely scientific sense."
Check out the images below.
Via: The Verge
