SHARING ORBITAL PERSPECTIVES OF EARTH THROUGH ASTRONAUT PHOTOGRAPHY TO EXPAND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF INTERLINKED EARTH SYSTEMS, ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES, HUMAN IMPACTS AND OURSELVES

By providing orbital perspectives, photographs of Earth taken by astronauts in space – from Apollo to today – expand our understanding of large-scale processes, Earth system interactions, short-term environmental changes and human impacts. In turn, these photographs provide a mechanism by which we can view Earth from distinctly different perspectives and scales, thus allowing us access to sensing the psychological transformation known as the Overview Effect. The Overview Effect was conjured when, over 50 years ago, humanity first experienced a singular, transformational view of our planet – Earth from space. This awe-inspiring perspective generated a new awareness of Earth's near-surface interconnections and its fragility in space and instilled in viewers a deep caring and concern for our planet.

With the Overview Effect as a thematic backdrop, I created a presentation that focuses on 1) this profound cognitive shift, 2) how earthbound individuals can simulate this shift by observing Earth’s dynamic, interlinked workings and human impacts on Earth via astronaut photography, and 3) the continued legacy of the Overview Effect and NASA’s photographic archive on ways people inspire stewardship of our planet. This presentation is a timely, interesting, inspiring, relevant call-to-action with connections across multiple disciplines. And, via alignment with Earth Science Week as well as the 50^th anniversaries of the first lunar landing and Earth Day, I had my hooks.

To share this presentation, and taking my one small step, I reached out to various groups across the regional Earth / environmental sciences community: my home institution, geoscience faculty at nearby colleges, science teachers at area high schools, and program coordinators at local educational / environmental centers. Through my outreach efforts, I’ve given the presentation over a dozen times to a collective audience of hundreds – from school kids, college students and retirees to colleagues, friends and neighbors. Benefits to me, which I hadn’t considered prior, include my own continued learning, expanding my network of local colleagues, organizing other community events whose origins are rooted in these newfound alliances and this topic, sponsoring student research on related topics, and opening doors for future presentations and collaborations.