Earth Observation from Space

Fifty five years ago, the U.S. satellite Explorer VI was launched by a Thor DM-18 Able III rocket from Cape Canaveral's LC-17A site in Florida on August 7, 1959.  It took the first black-and-white photo of the planet Earth from space, showing a portion of the ocean and the cloud cover over the Central Pacific Ocean. It started an era of the earth observation from space.

Postcard US-1893434 to Russia was one of the six limited edition IKONOS Collector cards from Space Imaging 2003 International Image Festival. It shows the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on the northern bank of the Moskva River, a few blocks southwest of the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia. By comparing the image card with the recent satellite image from the same area on Google Maps, you can find out those changes in the area over the past 10 years.

House of Christopher Columbus in Genova, Italy

Postcard IT-251822 from Italy shows the house of Christopher Columbus in Genoa, reconstructed in the eighteenth century, where he lived in his youth.

Christopher Columbus, born between October 31, 1450 and October 30, 1451 in the Republic of Genoa and passed away on May 20, 1506, was an Italian explorer, navigator, and colonizer. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he carried out four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to discovery of the New World.

Now a museum of the City, the house is located not far from the Gates, just outside the ancient medieval walls . Historical records indicated that Christoper Columbus lived there between 1455 and 1470 .