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EDITORIAL INFORMATION

Looking at Earth is an unprecedented portrait of our planet as seen from the heavens. Continent by continent, we see Earth, not as shown on maps or globes but as it looks in images recorded by spacecraft, revealing aspects of this planet previously hidden from our eyes.

Spectacular wonders -the Grand Canyon, Mount Fuji, the Andes, Africa's Great Rift- emerge in great sweeping panoramas and appear as even greater wonders. A mosaic of nightime images produces a breathtaking view of the United States, its cities glittering from coast to coast. Ancient river channels that vanished under the Sahara reappear when radar signals penetrate the sands and disclose what lies below.

Looking at Earth also describes Earth-viewing spacecraft and their instruments, and provides information about obtaining copies of many images included in the book. Looking at Earth is produced as part of the Smithsonian Institution's Columbus Quincentenary program. The book is based on some of the research conducted for the highly succesful Looking at Earth exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum.

(Extracted from the dust jacket).

GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS

-Contents.

-Foreword.

-Introduction: The Earth from Above.

-Africa: A Massive Land.
-Asia: Largest of All.
-Middle East: History's Pathway.
-Europe: Shaper of Nations.
-North America: From Sea to Sea.
-Middle America: Melding of Old & New.
-South America: The Hollow Continent.
-Oceania: Real of the Pacific.
-Antarctica. The Ice Continent.

-Image & Photo Credits.

-Guide to Space-based Sensors.

-Selected Bibliography.

-Index.

-Acknowledgments.

OUR REVIEW

Sponsored by the National Air & Space Museum and the Smithsonian Institution to celebrate the 500 anniversary of the discovery of America, this book is characterized basically by its spectacularity. This is one of the most important attempts at showing us how Earth is seen from space, sistematically, continent by continent, with the help of the modern techniques of observation. Its beginning is impressive per se: The covers, when unfolded, give us a complete map of Earth extracted from the eyes of the artificial satellites. An appropriate introduction follows, reviewing some of the techniques used by Science in order to photograph the surface of our planet before the advent of astronautics, and then we have a description of the methods of observation from space. Next, in a constant and very pleasant intoxication of color and a remarkable quality of image, the regions which make up our world slip by one by one. The authors have selected the most spectacular views, the ones which best depict the marvels and the dangers lashing Earth and its environment. Each one of them comes together with a small map which helps the reader to place the territory represented in the photograph. Of course, we can see those photos which illustrate fires, volcanic cones, icebergs, or the immediate consequences of the impact Mankind has on the planet, such as cities, airports or roads. It surely is a true homage to natural beauty.