3 ms·

Artificial lighting can be seen from space (the only man made thing that can be seen from space), but I guess the camera isn't good enough to pick it up.

by panzi 12y ago

ApolloRising 12y ago
Actually that is incorrect. You can see the Great Pyramids from space. Link: http://d1jqu7g1y74ds1.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/pyramids-from-space.jpg http://d1jqu7g1y74ds1.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2012... Supporting Article: http://www.universetoday.com/93398/can-you-see-the-pyramids-from-space/ http://www.universetoday.com/93398/can-you-see-the-pyramids-...
- stormbrew 12y ago
  Well, this really depends on what you mean by 'see' (and I suppose what you mean by 'space' as well, but let's just assume the ISS is the benchmark). Pictures like that, afaik, are taken with camera lenses that look roughly like [1]. You definitely can't make out city blocks with just your eyes from the ISS. [1] http://media.the-digital-picture.com/Images/Other/Canon-EF-800mm-f-5.6-L-IS-USM-Lens/Canon-EF-800mm-f-5.6-L-IS-USM-Lens.jpg http://media.the-digital-picture.com/Images/Other/Canon-EF-8...
  - jonah 12y ago
    NASA actually has a very long history of using Nikon equipment. Here are a couple references to (still) photography from the ISS: http://nikonrumors.com/2013/04/07/nikon-gear-at-the-iss.aspx/ http://nikonrumors.com/2013/04/07/nikon-gear-at-the-iss.aspx... http://nikonrumors.com/2013/11/12/low-light-astrophotography-from-the-iss.aspx/ http://nikonrumors.com/2013/11/12/low-light-astrophotography... http://nikonrumors.com/2013/04/22/astronaut-chris-hadfield-how-to-take-photos-from-the-iss.aspx/ http://nikonrumors.com/2013/04/22/astronaut-chris-hadfield-h... http://nikonrumors.com/2012/04/08/nikon-in-space-new-nightpod-intelligent-tripod-compensates-for-motion-when-taking-images-from-space.aspx/ http://nikonrumors.com/2012/04/08/nikon-in-space-new-nightpo... And to study quantum entanglement: http://nikonrumors.com/2013/04/09/400mm-nikon-lens-to-be-modified-at-the-iss-to-capture-photons-sent-from-earth.aspx/ http://nikonrumors.com/2013/04/09/400mm-nikon-lens-to-be-mod...
- panzi 12y ago
  I meant with the naked eye. With an appropriate telescope one can of course see a lot of detail (see Google Maps). And given how low the orbit of the ISS is I guess it's easier to see things from there than from an orbit where there isn't a rest of atmosphere that slows you down (yes, the ISS has to be regularly pushed by space farriers).
misnome 12y ago
Right - if the exposure is fixed so that fully lit side is normally exposed, I wouldn't be surprised if it was totally black on the other side. Probably helps the video compression for the night side, too!

Artificial lighting can be seen from space (the only man made thing that can be seen from space), but I guess the camera isn't good enough to pick it up.

by panzi 12y ago

Artificial lighting can be seen from space (the only man made thing that can be seen from space), but I guess the camera isn't good enough to pick it up.

ApolloRising 12y ago

Actually that is incorrect. You can see the Great Pyramids from space. Link: http://d1jqu7g1y74ds1.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/pyramids-from-space.jpg http://d1jqu7g1y74ds1.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2012... Supporting Article: http://www.universetoday.com/93398/can-you-see-the-pyramids-from-space/ http://www.universetoday.com/93398/can-you-see-the-pyramids-...

stormbrew 12y ago
Well, this really depends on what you mean by 'see' (and I suppose what you mean by 'space' as well, but let's just assume the ISS is the benchmark). Pictures like that, afaik, are taken with camera lenses that look roughly like [1]. You definitely can't make out city blocks with just your eyes from the ISS. [1] http://media.the-digital-picture.com/Images/Other/Canon-EF-800mm-f-5.6-L-IS-USM-Lens/Canon-EF-800mm-f-5.6-L-IS-USM-Lens.jpg http://media.the-digital-picture.com/Images/Other/Canon-EF-8...
- jonah 12y ago
  NASA actually has a very long history of using Nikon equipment. Here are a couple references to (still) photography from the ISS: http://nikonrumors.com/2013/04/07/nikon-gear-at-the-iss.aspx/ http://nikonrumors.com/2013/04/07/nikon-gear-at-the-iss.aspx... http://nikonrumors.com/2013/11/12/low-light-astrophotography-from-the-iss.aspx/ http://nikonrumors.com/2013/11/12/low-light-astrophotography... http://nikonrumors.com/2013/04/22/astronaut-chris-hadfield-how-to-take-photos-from-the-iss.aspx/ http://nikonrumors.com/2013/04/22/astronaut-chris-hadfield-h... http://nikonrumors.com/2012/04/08/nikon-in-space-new-nightpod-intelligent-tripod-compensates-for-motion-when-taking-images-from-space.aspx/ http://nikonrumors.com/2012/04/08/nikon-in-space-new-nightpo... And to study quantum entanglement: http://nikonrumors.com/2013/04/09/400mm-nikon-lens-to-be-modified-at-the-iss-to-capture-photons-sent-from-earth.aspx/ http://nikonrumors.com/2013/04/09/400mm-nikon-lens-to-be-mod...
panzi 12y ago
I meant with the naked eye. With an appropriate telescope one can of course see a lot of detail (see Google Maps). And given how low the orbit of the ISS is I guess it's easier to see things from there than from an orbit where there isn't a rest of atmosphere that slows you down (yes, the ISS has to be regularly pushed by space farriers).

misnome 12y ago

Right - if the exposure is fixed so that fully lit side is normally exposed, I wouldn't be surprised if it was totally black on the other side. Probably helps the video compression for the night side, too!