Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Of the various giant buildings on the surface of the Earth, the Great Wall of China is often referred to as the only building that can be seen from outer space. However, this myth has been refuted by astronauts.
A former Commander at the International Space Station (ISS), Chris Hadfield, said that a number of buildings on Earth can indeed be seen directly by astronauts from outer space. In fact, some can be seen without the aid of any lens, or only with the naked eye.
The outer space region itself can be defined using the Karman Line, which is the boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space. The name of this line comes from Theodore von Karman. Its location is 100 kilometers above the surface of the Earth.
Uniquely, the Great Wall of China, which is often said to be visible from outer space, is so long that it is not included in the structure that astronauts can see from outside the atmosphere.
Hadfield confirmed this and said in a tweet that the Great Wall of China was “too narrow + follows the natural contour & color” of geography.
Then what can be seen from that distance? Here is the list, quoted on Wednesday (28/12/2022):
1. Bingham Canyon Mine
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The location of this mine is about 32 km southeast of Salt Lake City. The mine is so large that it is not only visible from the unaided Karman Line but also from NASA space shuttles flying between 305-531 km above sea level.
2. Palm Jumeirah Dubai
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This stretch of artificial island is claimed by NASA to be visible from the Karman Line. Even International Space Station (ISS) astronauts can see clearly using an 800 mm lens.
For information, the ISS orbits with an average altitude of 400 km above sea level.
3. The Dark Pyramid
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Especially for the Pyramids of Giza there is debate whether they can be seen or not from outer space. British astronaut Tim Peake said he couldn’t but see the massive structure clearly through an 800mm lens.
Meanwhile, former NASA astronaut and ISS commander, Leroy Chiao said he could see the pyramids while in orbit. “There is a lot to see from the ISS, even with the naked eye,” he said.
“For example having found a large pyramid by telephoto and being able to pick out the two large ones with the naked eye, as long as the lighting and weather conditions are good, as two small dots”
4. Three Gorges Dam
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The dam that spans China’s Yangtze River is revealed by NASA to be visible from space. Its height reaches 185 meters with a length of more than 2 km, said the report France 24.
The dam is the world’s largest electricity-producing facility. The Three Gorges Dam is called the most expensive hydroelectric dam ever built.
(the/the)