Earth Overview: 13 Space Pictures of the Month

Are you a space junkie or often find yourself in awe staring at an overview shot from above the mighty Earth? The overview effect is a spiritual-like feeling that comes over space dwelling astronauts the moment they see the whole planet for the first time from space. The image delivers the realization that the world is borderless, one beautiful blue marble effortlessly floating through the cosmos.

Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders explained the feeling well when he said, “We came all this way to explore the moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth.”

The views from space these days can be astounding but are of course not as intense compared to experiencing them in reality. But technology and the Internet are making it easier to capture and share these mind-blowing visuals from outer space. Places like the International Space Station provide a stunning window into our world, where each crew features a space photographer on deck! So feast your eyes on some awesome ISS shots of Earth from above, as well as pictures from China’s latest space launch and other cosmic highlights from June 2013.