Desktop Earth turns your desktop into a beautiful, real-time globe

OK, maybe it's my inner explorer, scientist and photographer speaking when I say this, but: DESKTOP EARTH IS AWESOME.

It's so simple, yet so damn beautiful. All the developer has done is grab a bunch of images from NASA and compiled them into a program that changes your wallpaper depending on the time of day and the season. Look at the picture above -- click it for a larger view if you like.

But it gets better! It's configurable! You can vary the cloud coverage and which nighttime image to use (moonlit, city lights or simple shadow). You can also force the daytime image to show a specific month, or topographic (Earth's surface) and bathymetric (ocean floor) data.

Mobileware Christmas Ringtones Wallpaper

I'm never been one for desktop wallpapers -- I usually use a boring dark grey -- but... there's something about having the beautiful Blue Marble right there, right in front of your eyes. I can see myself using Desktop Earth for a long time to come.
Mountain Wildflowers: Screen Saver & Wallpaper [ Windows & Mac ]
As I write this, I'm watching sunlight slowly creep over the west coast of America. It's rather lovely.

The Anthony CASAY Collection

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