Thread: The first three man made objects a man sees from space

That is probably right about the Defender panel gaps.

However, the pyramids are not visible from space and the Great Wall of China certainly is not.

snopes.com: Can You See the Great Wall of China from the Moon?

the thing that ****s me about all these claims of seeing things from 'space' is that there is varied opinions of where 'space' actually starts.

That redbull skydiver Felix Bermgautner jumped from 'space' a few years back. That was something liek 40km... which is not all that unrealistic to see, or claim to see defining landmarks on the earth's surface.

Aside from the flaws in nomenclature...
I think I missed the point of this thread.

Because Defender.

I always thought the super pit in kalgoolie was meant to be visible from space... that's man made so should count.


Cheers Ean

Originally Posted by vnx205

That is probably right about the Defender panel gaps.

However, the pyramids are not visible from space and the Great Wall of China certainly is not.

snopes.com: Can You See the Great Wall of China from the Moon?

What has the moon got to do with it ?

Space starts around 100km from earth, so I'd say they are probably visible.

Somewhat later, aeronautical scientist Theodore von K?rm?n calculated that above an altitude of approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles, or 328,084 feet), a vehicle would have to fly faster than orbital velocity in order to derive sufficient aerodynamic lift from the atmosphere to stay aloft. Although the precise altitude differed based on several variables, von K?rm?n proposed that 100 kilometers be designated the boundary of space for purposes of engineering consistency. This 100-kilometer "K?rm?n Line" was recommended to the F'd?ration A?ronautique Internationale, the internationally recognized body for recording aeronautic achievements. Upon adoption, it became the internationally accepted boundary to space for the purposes of world records and many treaties.

I'd think NASA have a reasonable handle on where space starts

so I'd say they are probably visible

"They"? Do you mean the gaps in the panels?

At the lower limit of space as defined by NASA, the wall isn't readily visible with the naked eye. It seems to need ideal atmospheric and lighting conditions to have any chance of seeing it.

In those circumstances it could be argued that it isn't actually the wall that is visible because what people are really seeing is the shadow cast by the wall.

At the sort of distances, such as LEO, that most people would think of as "space", it is invisible. At NASA's lower limit, the claim is dubious at best and at that height, there are a lot of other man-made features that are more readily discernible.

5 Man-Made Things You Can See from Space (Plus One You Really Can

Yet, one vitally important question remains: Where does space start anyway? By most international standards (even though a certain Air Force disagrees), the boundary between Earth's jurisdiction and outer space rests approximately 62 miles above sea level.

From this height, the Great Wall is technically visible, at least according to astronauts Eugene Cernan and Ed Lu. However, it's not exactly conspicuous. Even under the best solar and weather conditions, this landmark is virtually indistinguishable from neighboring rivers and mountains. Therefore, most space-travelers miss the Wall entirely.

Great Wall of China: Only Manmade Object Visible from Space?

The altitude where space begins is somewhat arbitrary; the atmosphere is not a bubble, with a clear boundary, but rather a collection of gas molecules, which gradually thin out as you go up. The Karman line, located 62 miles (100 kilometers) above mean sea level, is one widely accepted boundary; it marks the point where the air is so thin that aerodynamic flight is impossible. The lowest orbits taken by spacecraft and satellites, such as the International Space Station, range higher still ? around 250 miles (400 kilometers) overhead. Can one see the Great Wall from such a distance?

Here's where things get a little complicated. Some say, yes, we can ? but only under perfect atmospheric and lighting conditions. Even though the wall ranges 5,500 miles (8,850 kilometers) or more, it not continuous, and its pieces ramble along the regional topography, so they do not break the pattern of the landscape. Their component materials, which consist mostly of crumbling stone and clay, do not stand out either.

But there could be another reason for the Great Wall's inconspicuousness. According to Norberto L?pez-Gil, a professor of vision sciences at University of Murcia, Spain, seeing the wall from space is physically impossible for the human eye. Gazing at the Great Wall from a mere 100 miles (160 kilometers) distant would be like looking at a two-centimeter wide cable from more than a third of a mile (half a kilometer) away; to see it, your eyes would need at least three times more acuity than the sharpest falcon, eagle or human eye ? a scenario beyond the physical limits of your retina's cone cells.

Even assuming your eyes were capable of such a feat, the statement would still be false. With eyes that sharp, you would be able to spot not only the Great Wall, but all kinds of human-built features.

Apparently it is in this photo. Good luck finding it.

This picture, apparently the first verifiable photo of the Great Wall of China shot from low Earth orbit, was taken by International Space Station Commander Leroy Chiao on Nov. 24, 2004. Can you find it? Credit: NASA

Photos taken from space of the gaps in Defender panels are a bit harder to track down.

Assuming you're actually in space somewhere, the first assumption is that you're near or in a high tech vehicle that got you there or you'd be dead. I'd vote for floating over to your computer screen and looking for some close up pics...

Apparently it is in this photo. Good luck finding it.

It's that black wiggly line with all the rabbits on one side!!!