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Sunsets from space: views of our atmosphere from the limb.
- Article from:
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Weatherwise
- Article date:
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November 1, 2007
- Author:
- Byrne, Gregory J.
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Copyright informationCOPYRIGHT 2007 Heldref Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Terrestial sunsets, though spectacular, pale in comparison to those seen by astronauts onboard a space shuttle or the International Space Station. Speeding around the Earth at 17,500 miles per hour, astronauts in orbit are treated to 16 spectacular sunrises and sunsets a day. These events and other phenomena, set against the backdrop of the darkness of space, are photographic favorites of the astronauts and inspire some of the most stunning images of the Earth taken from space.
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Brilliant Colors
From the vantage point of a spacecraft in orbit, the curved horizon of the Earth, or "limb" of our planet, is easily visible. Above the limb is the ...