Blue Marble Desktop

Summary: 

This is a shot python script that uses the NASA's Blue Marble API to get the most recent pictures taken by DISCOVR's EPIC instrument. The GitHub page includes instructions for the Windows desktop background to the day's EPIC images. 

Backstory: 

DSCOVR itself is a satellite observatory designed for use studying and predicting solar weather patterns.  It was launched early in 2015 and is positioned in orbit around the first Earth-Sun Lagrange point. 

In addition to the Sun-Facing equipment DISCOVR uses in it's core mission, DISCOVR also carries an instrument called EPIC. EPIC is a telescopic camera which is used to image earth on a semi-hourly basis. 

When I was first reading about EPIC I ran across a comment lamenting that there did not yet exist an application to use EPIC's daily images as a Windows background. It seemed like a good idea so I figured I would take a shot at implementing it.

Status: 

There's still a bit more I could do in terms of getting a sleeker interface, and more robust handling for interrupted downloads. However, I have been using the program without issue since late 2015 and am largely happy with it's performance thus far. Until such a time as EPIC's funding situation is determined I am considering this project to be complete. 

The program as it currently exists is intended to be used with Microsoft Task Scheduler, and the instructions for setting that up can be found in the readme (see github below). 

Resorces:

DSCOVR: http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/DSCOVR/index.html

EPIC: http://epic.gsfc.nasa.gov/

API: http://epic.gsfc.nasa.gov/about.html

Code: Github: https://github.com/lellasone/Blue-Marble-Desktop