June 9, 2008 (Use j/k keys to navigate)   Email to a friend    Permalink

The Sky, From Above

The Space Shuttle Discovery successfully launched last week, becoming the 154th manned US space mission. It flew to the International Space Station, delivering (among other things) a Japanese module called Kibo, repair parts for a broken toilet, a Buzz Lightyear action figure, one of Lance Armstrong's yellow jerseys, and 18 sesame seed bagels - the first bagels ever to reach Earth orbit. Completion of this mission will leave only eight flights remaining in the Space Shuttle program until its end in 2010.

One of the best features of the space program has always been astronaut photography, and I will take this opportunity to share some of the best photographs of Earth's skies, taken from above - way above (over 200 miles to be more exact). (15 photos total)


The Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off from launch pad 39-A at Kennedy Space Center on May 31, 2008 in Cape Canaveral, Florida, en route to the International Space Station on a construction mission. (Eliot J. Schechter /Getty Images)


The Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off from Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A at 5:02 p.m. The STS-124 mission is the 26th in the assembly of the International Space Station. (Photo courtesy of NASA/Johnson Space Center)

Cumulonimbus Cloud over Africa - 2/5/2008 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center)

Anvil clouds seen at sunset. (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center)

Storm clouds over the Libya/Chad border, Africa - 10/18/2003 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center)

Over the Gulf of Mexico - 1/8/2007 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center)

A cloud wake appears on the downwind side of Isla Socorro, Mexico - 2/12/2000 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center)

Golden sunset reflected over the Pacific Ocean - 4/26/2008 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center)

Thunderheads loom over the US Midwest - 8/19/2003 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center)

A dust storm appears over Mali, Sahara Desert - 6/6/2001 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center)

Moonset, over the Caribbean - 10/10/2007 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center)

Lightning flashes, city lights, sunset, Aurora Australis, atmospheric glow and some stars, seen over Argentina on 4/23/2003 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center)

Cloud, dust storm over central China - 6/3/2002 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center)

Storm clouds over Central Africa - 5/4/2005 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center)

Atmospheric distortion apparently flattens the moon as it sets, seen from above Cuba, 2/24/2005 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center)


More links and information:
Shuttle mission 124 Wikipedia entry
Shuttle Mission Information from NASA
The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth from Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center

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Fantastic, I love taking Photographs, I really wish I could be up there with You all.
We are missing out on such lovely sights.

Posted by Judith July 12, 08 12:14 PM
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these photos are so wonderful, they really show the beauty of the world and the places we cannot see from down here on the ground - thank you!!

Posted by Trish July 13, 08 11:02 AM
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My Father and myself was watching this site, we liked it very much

Posted by Dilip Bhai Gandhi July 13, 08 02:21 PM
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cool

Posted by Anonymous July 14, 08 02:35 PM
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Matthew / 24th chapter says it best. God trys to speak to us with the weather, floods
Hurricains, Toronado's, mus slides, etc we have kicked God our of our Schools
We can't read the bible in Schools but we can let others the muslims, take breaks to pray and what ever else they demand! WHY? Saudia Arabia will not allow
Bibles in that Country... The earth is spinning at 1100 miles / hr and moving through space at 60,000 miles / hr " all in Gods hands as is the end of time. The
photos represent scripture when it says "Knowledge will increase." Thanks have
a great summer!!

Posted by Billy Knott July 14, 08 04:05 PM
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This is the way God see's the earth in all it Glory! He is wonderful! We are blessed that we are able to view just a small part of it! I have been lucky to have seen just a small part from looking out the window while flying across the ocean.

Posted by Judy Lee July 15, 08 09:50 AM
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It made me feel very peaceful. I just wanted to breathe it in and keep it there!

Posted by Linda July 18, 08 01:29 PM
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Proof that if there is a 'god above' he's definitely distracted by other things than the human race !

Posted by Lovenow July 21, 08 06:36 PM
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Those photos took my breath away!

Posted by Cary July 22, 08 04:15 PM
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No words can even come close, I would have to be a poet to even begin to try to express how these pictures make people feel.

Posted by Rick Moore July 22, 08 06:44 PM
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Only God can create all this and to think he done it in six days. He only had to say it in existence. What a powerful God we have.

Posted by N. L. Hankins July 24, 08 05:27 PM
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Just love it!! How nice r the space r!!! Brilliant photos.

Posted by Shojib Ahmed July 25, 08 07:41 AM
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that is very good pictures. i like very much i m geography student. nd i keen desire in this type picture.

Posted by Faisal Alam Siddiqui July 25, 08 02:20 PM
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Absolutly awe inspiring to see how God's work is done I am 69 and have not seen any thing that has impressed me more than this.

Posted by Roberta E Forman July 28, 08 11:36 AM
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It always wonder to see the glory of GOD in the events like these. All such events are like messages from GOD to remind us that we, the human deing, are so little and nohting in front of our GOD.

Posted by Naeem- ud- din July 29, 08 03:51 AM
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most amazing scene we have in our world

Posted by manzoor ahmed July 29, 08 06:59 AM
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Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: He created the sun, the moon, and the stars, (all) governed by laws under His command. Is it not His to create and to govern? Blessed be Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds! (al araaf : 54)

Posted by cicci July 30, 08 09:29 PM
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Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things. (an nur : 35)

Posted by cicci July 30, 08 09:30 PM
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It's Amazing to see the various aspects of the environment surrounding us. I REALLY love this site.

Posted by Chandan Singh July 31, 08 05:59 AM
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I hope all people can see your programs

Posted by amirreza July 31, 08 12:14 PM
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GOD is the magnificent Creator, we all should thank HIM for making such wonderful creation.

Posted by Viral Mehta August 1, 08 04:58 AM
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Thank God. Lovely photos!

Posted by Kudzu Fire August 1, 08 02:52 PM
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Very nice photos. I love to observe the clouds and the skies. I observe them, daily, at HRPT NOAA and SEVIRI MSG satellite pics at work (in north-northeastern Brazil) and simply looking at for the heavens, from the ground. You can see some of my cloud photos at my new site: www.freewebs.com/clouds-air.

Posted by Raul Fritz August 4, 08 08:52 PM
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Любовная и семейная магия, верну любимого человека, укреплю семью, избавлю от соперницы. Обряды на удачу в бизнесе, на денежное изобилие, устранение конкурентов, сильная защита от негативного воздействия.

Posted by WDiana August 11, 08 05:28 AM
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Don't you just want to float....touch....or whatever.....so etherial........wonderous.......I just always want to be there......looking isn't enough..............................but it will do..

Posted by carola red August 12, 08 04:25 PM
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Amazing Photos.

Posted by Rhonda August 15, 08 06:30 PM
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awsome pics i lve it a mercale that some of these people get thes pic but thatnks for sharin it to people like me

Posted by lexie August 15, 08 06:59 PM
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that awsome

Posted by Anonymous August 29, 08 10:15 AM
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Да таков уж наш современный мир и боюсь с этим ни чего невозможно поделать:)

Posted by Martini August 29, 08 10:49 AM
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it was not up to my satisfaction

Posted by xyz September 5, 08 11:02 AM
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Amazing photography and couldn't have been a better subject.

Posted by Michael Bereyne September 7, 08 02:10 AM
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Great photos. No proof of god here though. Proof only that the natural world is a thing of beauty. Just because something's big or complicated or wondrous doesn't in fact mean some higher power created it. These things have had billions of years to evolve. If you say that something that wonderful HAS to have been designed then isn't your god the most wonderful thing? And in that case who designed him/her/it?
Why don't you all just enjoy the pics without tacking on your delusions? I'm with 129 on this one.
Thanks for the pics, Alan. By the way, are you the talking gingerbread man in Andy Stanton's Mr Gum books?

Posted by Eric Brennan September 8, 08 06:25 PM
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Интересно, а комментарии которые не нравятся автору удаляют? :)

Posted by Филин September 9, 08 12:49 AM
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Hi

THank you for sharing these indescribable phenomena with us.

Posted by Please supply me with more photo of Galaxy September 10, 08 03:34 AM
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i hate it

Posted by megan September 10, 08 01:59 PM
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cool this is cool

Posted by aim September 12, 08 02:34 AM
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realy amezing photos. i like it

Posted by natesh September 12, 08 08:55 AM
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this is real biutiful

Posted by ufo September 16, 08 12:25 PM
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Egyszerъen gyцnyцrыek

Posted by Tibor September 17, 08 07:02 AM
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Wow. These are amazing. Too bad there are people here that can't enjoy a thing of beauty without being a douchebag. If you focus on the meteorological and physical aspects of these wonderful photos it will keep your mind occupied and in a much better place.

Posted by Houston September 17, 08 07:38 PM
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very good site
and thanks for so much struggle for taking for so pictures

Posted by muhammad nadeem September 19, 08 02:12 AM
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really ,i am surprised to see these beautiful picture which show god creation is in comprable .i thanks to NAsA to these photo.

Posted by Anjana deshmukh September 21, 08 03:50 AM
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Its a very very amazing picture. But its just begining.

Posted by Syed Ali September 25, 08 05:24 AM
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graxxx nasa por mostrar lo hermoso que es muestro mundo !!!!!!!

Posted by ferruko September 28, 08 12:15 AM
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BEAUTIFUL, THANK YOU GOD!

Posted by MAHDag October 2, 08 06:29 PM
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the natural sciences are a true marvel

Posted by nats October 3, 08 09:41 PM
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Realmente maravillosas

Posted by eva October 4, 08 05:34 PM
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fantastic!

Posted by nahid October 7, 08 03:12 AM
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Thank you - Best Desktop I've evr had on my truly boring PC at work in North Wales

Posted by Keith October 10, 08 03:46 PM
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nada que decir es lo mejor que he podido ver y si pudieran enviarme una pagina donde salgan mas fotos del espacio

Posted by claudio urtubia October 13, 08 01:20 AM
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There are more thing that we are to protect and cherish....... humans forget this sometime, they are too caught up in the material life style, which is to show of to people whom they dislike...... these picture are breath taking and reminds us about God......and his creation....

Posted by Shana_amala October 16, 08 11:34 AM
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it is so cool and prety!!!

Posted by tiana October 21, 08 01:10 PM
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It is the most amazing stage, congratulations at the people that can see this wonderfulls personally.

Posted by Pablo Morales October 23, 08 02:12 PM
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Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap...!!!!! : ))

Posted by Mod October 24, 08 08:55 PM
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sace is cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by raven walker November 1, 08 05:49 PM
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damn this alot on the earth

Posted by Anonymous November 4, 08 03:48 PM
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Prijatno chitat' na russkom jazyke interesnye i umnye mysli. Uzhe pjat' let v Anglii zhivu.

Posted by Natashka November 9, 08 03:01 PM
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Доброго времени суток! Не вижу условия использования информации. Можно ли копировать написанный вами текст на свой сайт, если ставить ссылку на эту страницу?

Posted by Natali November 10, 08 12:39 PM
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Imagens MARAVILHOSAS que nos fazem crer que o homem tem contribuнdo para destruiзгo da prуpria humanidade, ignorante que й da obra sublime de Deus. Belнssimo!

Posted by Ana Marques November 13, 08 08:05 AM
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the images are beautiful

Posted by victor November 14, 08 11:13 PM
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Makes you realise the SMALL part that man plays in the overall scheme of things

Posted by Denise November 16, 08 05:36 PM
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Glad you liked the pictures. The best is yet to be. Remember you are all aliens
on planet earth; Heaven truly is your home.

Posted by God November 19, 08 10:27 PM
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good

Posted by bob evans November 21, 08 12:20 PM
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I can't see what all the fuss is about. They are just photo's taken from a different
angle of a world which we know is awesome anyway.

Posted by Eugene Downing November 21, 08 12:43 PM
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It was Amazing to watch this Photos.
They are best Photos of space.

Posted by Ibrahim Luhar December 1, 08 01:06 PM
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i wish i could go in space????

Posted by tylers December 3, 08 04:22 PM
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Thank you for sharing these wonderful images.

Posted by Steve Beckley December 5, 08 08:06 PM
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No such thing as god. This is just nature at her finest.

Posted by Realist December 22, 08 06:35 PM
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Спасибо за новость! Как раз думал об этом!
Кстати с Новым годом всех вас ;)

Posted by TheDuck December 25, 08 06:33 PM
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Amazing....

Posted by Anonymous December 26, 08 03:13 AM
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DOES NASA THINK THAT THE STARS ARE A AP FOR TO WHICH FOR OTHERS BESIDES HUMONS , A MAP TO GET AROUND IN SPACE.
I SURE DO,
THE MONGOOSE, IT'S MY RACING NAME, I RACE ASA NASCARS. I WOULD DO MOST ANYTHING TO GO ON A MISSION ON THE SHUTTLE, WHAT WOULD THAT TAKE TO GO.?

Posted by KENNY L BAKER "THE MONGOOSE" December 28, 08 04:03 PM
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the moon looks like a jellyfish

Posted by gerard pawling January 3, 09 12:59 PM
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Having faith is fine and all, but can we just stay on subject? It just gets annoying to see "god this" and "god that" on every single set of beautiful pictures. I feel a little set upon.

So, if you care about your fellows, please try to lay off a little in the future. One or two is fine, but try to keep most of it in the religious sites, please. I promise not to walk up and down the sidewalk outside every awesome movie I see and proclaim the glory of man and the fallicy of god.

Posted by Mike, Augusta GA January 4, 09 03:18 AM
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what is it all about? why are we here? we are all on planet earth for a reason. we are all in this together! thank u for sharing these beautiful pics.

Posted by jennylee January 6, 09 06:59 PM
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Fantastic!!!!

Posted by kaz January 9, 09 07:37 AM
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picture shows your feeling

Posted by G.ALI January 12, 09 08:00 AM
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Makes me feel so insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
Problems and Concerns just vanish.

Posted by Sasha D Trinidad January 21, 09 04:47 PM
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its amazing

Posted by aldrin January 21, 09 11:58 PM
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As I am a former sky warrior soldier, your amazing photos have me wondering how fantastic is the world I defend.

Posted by Dave Haberman January 22, 09 12:38 PM
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Beautiful Mother Nature....

Posted by Anonymous January 29, 09 12:36 AM
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Only God could do such awesome work. Thanks for sharing this beauty with me.

Posted by Mary Urban February 9, 09 01:49 PM
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Wow ... am so grateful I have the gift of sight to enjoy these photos - takes your breath away !

Posted by Lorraine Potter February 9, 09 02:59 PM
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The phrase to understand and use with avid God-promoters is this:

"Shared viral mental illness"

There is no way to reason or explain to people that deeply believe that some sentient puller-of strings controls things. They are mentally ill, and should be treated as such.

Posted by anonymous February 10, 09 01:28 PM
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Dear anonymous,
You are an asshole, and should be treated as such.
Love,
The Rest of Us

Posted by The Rest of Us February 10, 09 05:23 PM
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surely they must be some of the finest pictures ever taken.They are breathtaking.
An illustrationof what man can acheive.

Posted by HARRY February 20, 09 02:12 PM
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These are a great way to see the world and or planet.. Awsome beyond what words can say. Althought God has nothing to do with it, all was here when he wasn't. Its mother nature that runs the show. God was lucky and well fell into place, yup mother earth rocks and the bible has a date. As mother earth,,??? No date!! God has a price. Nature,,, priceless:)

Posted by HENSLEY February 20, 09 03:30 PM
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the absence of god through pictures.

Posted by randy February 20, 09 06:15 PM
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these pics say tht "SKY IS THE LIMIT"

Posted by RAHUL GUPTA February 27, 09 09:07 AM
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cool

Posted by Anonymous March 11, 09 01:59 PM
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Favor de pasarme la manteqauilla

Posted by Bill March 28, 09 04:46 PM
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Way out, man!!

Posted by BobTthompson March 29, 09 02:18 AM
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superbe..... merci

Posted by jean claude camus April 24, 09 06:15 AM
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wow

Posted by Anonymous May 9, 09 11:07 AM
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What other description than " Amazing" can be used for this creation that our Lord has created.

Posted by Roxanna May 10, 09 07:09 PM
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. .Jehovah himself in wisdom founded the earth. He solidly fixed the heavens in discernment. 20 By his knowledge the watery deeps themselves were split apart, and the cloudy skies keep dripping down light rain. . .(Proverbs 3:19-20) .
- Why should we not express wonder & gratitude to earth's Creator?
- Because of a few Cyber-Bullies who only want Their Opinion to count?

Posted by JoAnne May 17, 09 03:04 AM
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Holy....!!

Gracious Lords of Olympus, these are fantastic.

Looks like I get some new wallpapers for my pooter, oh boy am I happy!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Julian May 19, 09 04:08 AM
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Science be praised!

Posted by United Atheists Alliance May 20, 09 11:53 PM
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Science be praised? Not!
Science be thanked for giving us a small glimpse of how wonderful, beautiful, and complex the earth and our solar system is.

Science allows us to discover and understand the workings of these intricate objects we humans call home. But science had nothing to do with creating them.

You drop a new automobile into the jungle, and, after seeing it for the first time, a primitive tribesman exclaimed, "Metal, rubber, leather, etc just came together and formed this system." What would a sane, educated person say about this claim?

What must God say when we see a small glimpse his complex universe and make the same claim as the above primitive tribesman?

Posted by Norbert June 3, 09 05:27 PM
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Thant Is nice picure
Thank You

Posted by Ali Maawal June 4, 09 11:38 AM
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amazing to see what the NATURAL WORLD can do, shows just how narrow people scope of a possible GOD there is

Posted by michael June 16, 09 08:25 PM
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