How to Create a “Detailed Earth” Graphic

If you are a map maker or work with map makers or have map-making friends, promise me you won’t buy any of those “detailed earth” stock photos. Make them yourself and have a blast in the meantime.

Here are a couple links to a detailed process (part 1: terrain, and part 2: atmosphere). But here is a quick video cheat-sheet:

Here are a boatload of examples.