Our Pale Blue Dot

Earth is but a tiny light blue dot in this 30th anniversary version of the iconic “Pale Blue Dot” image. The original photo, taken by NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft on Feb. 14, 1990, is now 35 years old. Voyager 1 was 3.7 billion miles (6 billion km) away from the Sun, giving it a unique […]

admin

Feb 19, 2025 - 02:00

0 5

Earth is a single, bright blue pixel in the vastness of space. Rays of sunlight scattered within the camera optics stretch across the scene, one of which happens to have intersected dramatically with Earth. The original image was taken on Feb. 14, 1990. What you see here is an updated version from 2020 using modern image-processing software and techniques.⁣⁣

This updated version of “the Pale Blue Dot,” made for the photo’s 30th anniversary in 2020, uses modern image-processing software and techniques to revisit the well-known Voyager view while attempting to respect the original data and intent of those who planned the images.

NASA/JPL-Caltech⁣⁣

Earth is but a tiny light blue dot in this 30^th anniversary version of the iconic “Pale Blue Dot” image. The original photo, taken by NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft on Feb. 14, 1990, is now 35 years old. Voyager 1 was 3.7 billion miles (6 billion km) away from the Sun, giving it a unique vantage point to take a series of photos that created a “family portrait” of our solar system. Voyager’s view was important to Carl Sagan and the Voyager Imaging Team; they felt this photo was needed to show Earth’s vulnerability and that our home world is just a tiny, fragile speck in the cosmic ocean.

Learn more about this famous image of our home planet.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech