The art of Landsat 5 - Lake Eyre

Launched on July 23, 1972, NASA's Landsat imaging satellites have been looking down on us, gathering a scientists a broad visual history of the Earth for 40 years. Documenting the changes in our natural resources, the data on has been used for everything from forestry, agriculture, and geology to education and national security.

To help commemorate the anniversary occasion, 5 images were selected from the 120 in the 'Earth As Art' series, which appreciated Landsat's data as sheer beauty, recognizing the planet's palate of color, form and design seen from above.

This image of Lake Eyre, taken on August 8, 2006, shows a Northern Australian desert lake bed - only filled with water three times in the past 150 years.