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 'Blue Marble 2012': NASA's 'Most Amazing' High Def Image Of Earth So Far 
 
 The "Blue Marble" image of Earth snapped by the crew of Apollo 17 in 1972 is one of the most famous photos ever taken. When it appeared, we all suddenly saw the world in a much different way. 
 
 In the years since, NASA has added other "Blue Marble" photos to its collection, and has used technology to enhance and sharpen the images. 
 
 Today the space agency unveiled what it's calling the "most amazing high definition image of Earth — Blue Marble 2012." This one was taken "from the VIIRS instrument aboard NASA's most recently launched Earth-observing satellite — Suomi NPP," NASA says, and is a "composite image [that] uses a number of swaths of the Earth's surface taken on January 4, 2012." 
 
 So how does this new composite image compare to some of the others? Check them out. 
 
 "Blue Marble 2012," released today (click here for a really big view): 
 
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 "Blue Marble 2000," which combined data from multiple satellites and applied color schemes to give "an approximation of what was really occurring:" 
 
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 "Blue Marble 1972," the "original:" 
 
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 By the way, the image that NASA identifies as "Blue Marble 1972" shows Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Malagasy Republic. The Blue Marble image that is among the wallpaper choices on iPhones — and so has become quite well known in recent years — is a different shot, centered on North America. As iPhoneJ.D. has explained, the iPhone choice is one of the later images NASA produced, in 2002. 
 
 (H/T to NPR social media desk intern Xavier Lacombe and to Gizmodo.) ||||| Most Amazing High Definition Image of Earth - Blue Marble 2012 
 
 January 25, 2012 
 
 *Updated February 2, 2012: According to Flickr, "The western hemisphere Blue Marble 2012 image has rocketed up to over 3.1 million views making it one of the all time most viewed images on the site after only one week." 
 
 A 'Blue Marble' image of the Earth taken from the VIIRS instrument aboard NASA's most recently launched Earth-observing satellite - Suomi NPP. This composite image uses a number of swaths of the Earth's surface taken on January 4, 2012. The NPP satellite was renamed 'Suomi NPP' on January 24, 2012 to honor the late Verner E. Suomi of the University of Wisconsin. 
 
 Suomi NPP is NASA's next Earth-observing research satellite. It is the first of a new generation of satellites that will observe many facets of our changing Earth. 
 
 Suomi NPP is carrying five instruments on board. The biggest and most important instrument is The Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite or VIIRS. 
 
 To read more about NASA's Suomi NPP go to: www.nasa.gov/npp 
 
 Credit: NASA/NOAA/GSFC/Suomi NPP/VIIRS/Norman Kuring 
 
 NASA image use policy. 
 
 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. 
 
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 Done ||||| NASA has released a new Blue Marble image, showing the United States of America. According to them, it's the "most amazing, highest resolution image of Earth ever." Blue Marble 2012 bests the 2010 edition and the original one. 
 
 The original one—the default background image in the iPhone—was 2048 x 2048 and was made combining different images. The 2010 edition was created with data from NASA's Terra satellite. But Blue Marble 2012 uses the latest data from NASA's newest Earth-observing satellite: Suomi NPP. It's made from several passes taken on January 4, 2012 using the satellite's Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite instrument (VIIRS). 
 
 You can download it at a whooping 8000 x 8000 pixels. The detail at that resolution is amazing, but I recommend 1024 x 1024 for all your tablet, phone and computer background needs. [NASA Goddard Flickr]
– Fans of NASA's "Blue Marble" images of Earth have a new gem to marvel at, notes Gizmodo. The agency has released on its Flickr stream what it calls the "most amazing, highest resolution image of Earth ever." It's a composite taken by a newly launched satellite. The first Blue Marble photograph, shot by the Apollo 17 crew in 1972, became famous around the world, notes Mark Memmott of NPR. NASA has added others since, and one shot in 2002 is especially familiar to iPhone users as a default background image. Head here for free downloads from NASA.