Defined by a spirit for exploration, astronauts famously pursue their profession out of a dogged desire to leave their home world behind and venture out into the stars.
But when they surpass the confines of Earth’s atmosphere and begin a mission in the cosmos, most spacefarers can’t help but look back and marvel at that little blue planet from which they came.
For decades, astronauts and robotic spacecraft alike setting out on trailblazing journeys into our solar system have taken the time to train their cameras on Earth. The results have been some of the most profound and breathtaking photos of our home that the vast majority of humanity will never witness in person.
To commemorate Earth Day, here’s a look at some of the best photos taken of our planet from space over the years – from the Apollo era to to the current Artemis era.
When, what is Earth Day?
Celebrated every year on April 22, Earth Day is an annual celebration focused on environmentalism and conservation efforts with the objective of motivating people to protect the planet and its natural resources.
Apollo 8 ‘Earthrise’ photo inspires Earth Day
Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970, two years after Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders captured the now-iconic “Earthrise” photo of the planet rising over the lunar horizon. The awe-inspiring photo is widely credited as inspiring that first Earth Day celebration, according to NASA.
See photos of Earth taken from space
Astronauts and robotic spacecraft have been photographing our planet for decades from space, returning striking photos of our planet that have as much scientific value as they do aesthetic.
The gallery below includes 12 photos that are among the best, most iconic or simply the most recent taken of Earth from beyond our atmosphere. Each includes a caption with more information about the image.
Earth has been observed from space for decades
The astronauts on NASA’s Artemis II mission recently became the latest spacefarers to capture stunning imagery of Earth on their journey around the moon.
The photos they took followed a long history of astral photography of our planet, and were even reminiscent of some of the iconic imagery taken during the Apollo era about a half-century prior.
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station also regularly document breathtaking views of Earth. Because the space station orbits so close to Earth – about 250 miles high – the outpost and the astronauts who have lived aboard it have been the source of spectacular photos of our planet for 25 years.
But the first photos of Earth taken from space did not come from humans, but rather robotic spacecraft.
History was made in 1946 – more than 10 years before the launch of the first Sputnik satellite – when a camera on top of a captured German V-2 ballistic missile flew to an altitude of about 65 miles high and captured the first photo of Earth from space, according to NASA. Photographing Earth from space became more common – not to mention, more sophisticated – in the ensuing years as probes venturing deep into the cosmos made sure to snap images of our planet.
Humans then got in on the photography fun most prominently beginning with the Apollo era when the Apollo 8 astronauts made the first human lunar trip and astronaut Bill Anders snapped the iconic “Earthrise” photo.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com. Subscribe to the free Florida TODAY newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Earth Day 2026. See our planet through eyes of astronauts, spacecraft
Reporting by Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
