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Published online 10 June 2009 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2009.560

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Glimpse of Earth as seen from afar

Lunar eclipse paints portrait of Earth that could aid hunt for distant habitable planets.

Astronomers have seen what the Earth's atmosphere might look like from outer space by using the Moon as a giant mirror. Sunlight that bounced back from the Moon carried a fingerprint of the Earth's atmosphere that could help astronomers determine if the extrasolar planets they're finding harbour life.

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  • if only the glimpse of earth give comfort so far..i would be the one who say thank you God...but unfortunatelly there's no GOD around me, still on earth with atmosphere of course.. regards tiurma simanjuntak, Msi

    • 11 Jun, 2009
    • Posted by: tiurma simanjuntak