omni, that's a sky box:
http://www.3dap.com/hlp/hosted/swfs2/img/screen0a.jpg (2x 1024, one of em repeated 5 times, on a sphere of 1k triangles, which is probably too much and should probably be reduced, need to test it).
Just create a sphere and map it (with the faces flipped).
The size is decided by the engine, and not the model (I can't remember the exact size used)
I suppose that you should be able to create a background pof, maybe just a cube mapped with a black map of 1x1 pixel and, assuming that you know the exact size that will be used, put your earth model (maybe with the moon:) ) inside the box.
The problem is that I have no idea if the background pofs can have subobjects, and if they can rotate. Actually this is interesting and should deserve a test, since if it works it'll be the best solution to put planet models ingame.
The inferno build from phreak, instead, will increase the far clipping plane distance by lots. Not sure if this create some other problems
Omni, I wasn't complaining about putting to limits the engine, but about doing something performance wasting and graphically useless. in the game industry optimization and efficency are even more important than tech limits. And sorry if I sound a bit....annoying sometimes:) It's enough for me to know that you are aware of what I was saying, lods will surely help a lot optimizing it for the game. Also excuse me since I haven't considered that in the 8x 2048 maps you have the clouds layers too.
Also..have you tryed to fix it using Lithunwrap? if you send me the version with the 256 maps (and only the earth layer, without clouds) I may give a look at what I was saying above, the uvmaps borders
