The seminal photo of planet Earth rising over the lunar landscape—you know the one—arrived in December 1968 from Apollo 8, the first mission ever to leave home for another destination. From deep space the entire Earth is laid bare. As the cosmos intends you to see it: a fragile juxtaposition of land, oceans, and clouds; isolated and adrift in the void of space, with no hint of anybody or anything coming to rescue us from ourselves. This outlook ascends a few realms higher than the overview effect and represents the true beginnings of a cosmic perspective.
