THE ART

ABOV features works of art crafted from remote sensing satellite data observed from over 400 miles above the Earth. These satellites measures the surface radiation reflected across seven bands of the electromagnetic spectrum - three in the visible portion (the colors we can see) and four in the infra-red region - indicators of plant growth, surface moisture, underlying geology and temperature. At times during the year when climate conditions and the vegetation cycle produce the greatest natural contrast, merging a specific selection of these bands can generate resonant interpretations of the landscape and the imagery for scientific creation.

"A day here or there, rain the week before, or wind blowing in the wrong direction can all make a difference to the artistic quality of the satellite imagery." Stuart Black

The colors in these images are the result of the image processing techniques developed by each artist and have been enhanced to separate different features in a way that is artistic and thought provoking yet true to the science involved in their creation. They are used to highlight special characteristics of a region such as mineral deposits, irrigation, land-use patterns and underwater formations. Without this processing the colors in the artwork would be invisible to the human eye, and the textures and patterns invisible.

"Remote sensing satellites show our planet in ways that our eyes are incapable of seeing and reveal the abstract compositions, shapes and colors of the Earth that are hidden in the data." Larry Ammann

Please note that these images are not taken from any other web site and they are not photographs taken from space that have been reprocessed. Photographs cannot capture the detail nor can they differentiate among different features like the sensors on remote sensing satellites.