Kansas City from Space
This is an ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) photograph of Kansas City taken in July of 2006. NASA created the ASTER to take "high-resolution (15 to 90 square meters per pixel) images of the Earth in 14 different wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum, ranging from visible to thermal infrared light." Scientists use ASTER data to create detailed maps of land surface temperature, emissivity, reflectance, and elevation. The images produced are scientifically engaged and visually captivating. Founder of Terra Prints, Inc., Roland Clark, is a retired Naval Meteorologist who sees this kind of image capturing "as an art form" (Terra Prints.com). His prints of ASTER images highlight awesome yet simple beauty of planet Earth. Here we see Kansas City's urban spread amongst a vegetated landscape. The Missouri River snakes through its usual route, familiar even from space.