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The Greatest and Most Unusual Travel Photo of All Time?
I stumbled over this image just now, and it took my breath away.
Everything about the image is just so amazing: The poof-y shapes of the clouds in the background... The electric blue line that marks the boundary of the atmosphere... The absolute void of color that is space juxtaposed against the brilliant white space suit... The fact that you can see the photographer's reflection in the mask of the astronaut... The slight, slo-mo wave the astronaut is giving, as if to say, "Tell my wife I love her very much, she knows..."
In my opinion, this may be the greatest travel photo of all time. I love it.
Be sure to check out the larger image here. And for other great travel photos -- none of which were taken in space -- be sure to browse through our Photos of the Day.
Everything about the image is just so amazing: The poof-y shapes of the clouds in the background... The electric blue line that marks the boundary of the atmosphere... The absolute void of color that is space juxtaposed against the brilliant white space suit... The fact that you can see the photographer's reflection in the mask of the astronaut... The slight, slo-mo wave the astronaut is giving, as if to say, "Tell my wife I love her very much, she knows..."
In my opinion, this may be the greatest travel photo of all time. I love it.
Be sure to check out the larger image here. And for other great travel photos -- none of which were taken in space -- be sure to browse through our Photos of the Day.
Filed under: Photos
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
yossi Jun 24th 2007 7:41AM
they are in the cargo bay of the space shuttle. you can clearly see the docking tube to the space station on the left (white thing with grey pokadots). going farther up you can see one of the trusses of the station, and one of the solar panels (wavy looking thing). the thing that looks like its sticking out of the photographers back is the shuttles canadian arm. and the thing accross the top right is the stations robot arm (i think).
actually an even more interesting picture than you decribed.
Peter Paris Jun 24th 2007 9:21AM
Is that an iPod on his wrist?
Jeremy Jun 24th 2007 9:28AM
Wow, very neat picture. I have to ask, though. In the black space area, there are 2 pixles. 1 red and 1 blue. I wanted to at first say it was error, but then made me realize they could be planets! Jupiter and ?? What do you think? Did anyone catch that while viewing the large picture? The blue one nears Earth and the red is near the astronauts sholder (Or equipment behind him, actually).
Visi Jun 24th 2007 10:25AM
to post #2 they look like pixels gone bad thats all, planets would reflect the light off the sun on their atmosphere and would appear to be light points jsut like stars.
ed strasser Jun 24th 2007 11:21AM
This is b******t. Everyone knows that we didn't walk on the moon, it was faked and the Space Shuttle is fiction. All the money for NASA is secretly funneled to the CIA for it's illegal "war on terror".
You're all fools.
Sincerely,
Ed
Ben Jun 24th 2007 11:37AM
It sorta looks like he has an old iPod nano tucked up his sleeve :P
Roy Jun 24th 2007 1:24PM
Yeah, I'm with Ed! I don't even think the moon really exists; it's just something the government fooled us all into believing *just* so they could pretend to land on it! HA! Nice try, but I'm not that stupid.
Fight the power!
Edward Glen Jun 24th 2007 5:05PM
@yossi, To be clear, on the bits of station in the reflection - the white wavy thing is actually a radiator panel to shed heat from the electronics and such in the station. The solar panel in that image is actually the greyish looking thing with orange edges that appears to be parallel to the truss. Though that solar panel is now folded up and ready to be moved to the end of the truss.
Judging by what looks be a japanese flag on the astronauts shoulder I'd say the picture is of Soichi Noguchi on the STS 114 mission.
A very cool picture indeed
Jerry Jun 25th 2007 2:07AM
The astronaut in the photo is Piers Sellers, and the photographer in the reflection is Mike Fossum. This was taken on a mission last summer while the spacewalkers here were testing out a 50 ft extension to the robotic arm on the space shuttle that would allow them access to the tiles underneath in case they ever need to be repaired. I don't really see the pixels that Jeremy is referring to, but it is possible that they could be stars. In space, stars appear multiple colors that we don't alwasy see on the surface because of atmospheric absorption and scattering. But in this photo, it would be unlikely to be a star since the camera's iris is probably focusing on the much brighter planet and astronaut in the foreground.
Jerry Jun 25th 2007 2:22AM
I'm thinking STS-121-- I think Edward's right on it being Soichi of the 114 mission.
Alex Jun 25th 2007 12:31PM
to ed about the moon comment. are you saying the picture is b******t or the moon landing? because the picture is from the space shuttle which never went to the moon, and yes...we never went to the moon. stupid CIA
k.p. Sep 6th 2007 8:48PM
HELLO!!! ROY!!do u not look up every night!! THE MOON IS RIGHT THERE!!! u know the white-grey round thing!!!! OR are u saying that round thing is just a phigment of my imagination?? just an illusion that most people see??
dummy!
Carlie Sep 6th 2007 9:43PM
Haha. Ed and Roy. Good job. Im sorry but are you two idiots or somthing? Landing on the moon was bull, yeah, and the earth is flat and the sun and planets revolve around us...right?
Go back to grade school kiddies. You might learn a thing or two.
Rob Sep 6th 2007 9:50PM
If the moon's not real...how do you explain all the werewolves running around?
Michele Sep 7th 2007 2:55AM
They cheated
Drew Oct 23rd 2007 10:00AM
My comment on saying any American Suburb is the worst.
Too broad a brush. American suburbs are not just bedroom communities any more. Many have diverse recreation, arts interest, universities, ample events schedules to fill up a week and are well enough thought of that Sister Cities programs from Europe and Asia participate in exchanges on technical and cultural bases.
Travel Blog Jan 30th 2009 12:40PM
Hehehe, I thought I would find something else that a space shot with that kind of title. You got me.
Harry, ExposedPlanet.com Mar 22nd 2009 3:59PM
It is great, one of the photos I wish I took, as besides a nice travelphoto, it is the best selfportrait ever!