Viral image showing the Earth from an unusual angle sends social media users into a frenzy

An image of the Earth's "oceanic hemisphere" has caused a major stir on social media, freaking out many users. Viewed more than 33 million times, the post shares a photo of the planet not commonly seen.

Most images of the Earth show the Northern Hemisphere of the planet, as this half of the globe is home to 68% of all land. However, the majority of the Earth's surface is covered by water - in fact, some 70% in total. The so-called "Oceanic Hemisphere" is the side of the planet containing the most water.

Some 89% of its surface is covered by water, with only 11% by land. The photo of this side of the planet sent the social media universe into meltdown.

One user commented: "You ever realise how much of our planet is actually... water?

"Now you do. 165 million km² of deep, humbling silence."

While another mused: "Could be some aliens out there looking and seeing this thinking 'well, no life there worth checking out, it is just another water world'."

A third jokingly added: "The back of Earth's head is crazy."

The viral image shows the huge expanse of the Pacific Ocean, the largest one on the planet.

The Pacific covers an astonishing 63 million square miles and contains more than half of Earth's "free" water - water that isn't bound to minerals in rocks.

In the image, it is just possible to detect the green of New Zealand in the lower left while part of Antarctica is peeking out over the corner of the globe in the lower right.

The west coast of North America is also just about visible in the top right-hand corner of the image.

The serene and wondrous image prompted one social media user to write: "Makes me wonder what mysteries are hiding beneath all that water!"

However, for some online conspiracists, the view of the other side of Earth was too much to handle.

One said: "This is the bottom of the flat Earth. This picture is made from beneath and the flat surface is spherical, and that is where there is confusion that the Earth is flat or spherical."