ABSTRACT
In a 2008 poll, Blue Marble and Earthrise were ranked number one and two, respectively, as the most favoured of NASA images. In the case of Earthrise, it chose a perspective in conformity to the constructs of linear perspective, that is, with the horizon line of the moon in a horizontal rather than vertical position; while the 180-degree rotation of Blue Marble supports the authority of the West. Both Earthrise and Blue Marble gained success as symbols of ecology mainly through their effectiveness of promoting Earth as a unified concept rather than a geographical construct. The Earth from Space, just like Earthrise and Blue Marble, all materialize this unified representation of the world, mobilizing a scientific discourse to convey ideologies through aerial perspectives. These iconic examples can be seen as anticipating the new dominant perspective of mapping technologies that are at the core of any contemporary forms of navigation, as exemplified by Google Maps.
