Telset.id, Jakarta – The Great Wall of China has been told by people that it can be seen from outer space. As it turned out, the fact that happened was not the case. So, what are the buildings that can be seen from outer space?
The Great Wall of China cannot be seen from space. Conversely, some other buildings that can be seen from outside the Earth’s atmosphere? Here’s the scientific explanation.
Before breaking down each of these buildings, we first need to determine where Earth’s atmosphere ends and where outer space begins.
Garis Kármán, dynamai dari fisikawan Theodore von Kármán, sebagai sebagai batas Bumi-angkasa. Garis Kármán is 100 kilometers above the surface of the Earth.
So, what can be seen from such a distance? On a clear day, would someone on the Kármán pass see the Great Wall or the Pyramids of Giza?
Like The telephone quote from Live Science, Tuesday (28/2/2023), here are man-made buildings that can be seen from outer space. The Great Wall of China is not on the list.
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1. Bingham Canyon Mine
The first visible structure from space was the Bingham Canyon Mine, which is about 32 kilometers southeast of Salt Lake City, United States. The structure is the largest man-made excavation ever and is the world’s deepest “open pit” mine, according to the University Space Research Association.
The mine is so large that it is not only visible from the Kármán line without the need for magnification, but is also reportedly visible to astronauts aboard NASA’s Space Shuttle, which orbits between 305 kilometers and 531 kilometers above sea level.
2. Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam, which spans the Yangtze River in China, is also visible from space, according to NASA. The dam is the largest electricity generating facility in the world.
The building, which is visible from space, is also thought to be the most expensive hydroelectric plant ever built, reports say France 24. It is 185 meters high and more than two kilometers long.
3. Palm Jumeirah Dubai
Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah can also be glimpsed from the Kármán line, according to NASA. With an 800mm lens, the artificial islands can be seen clearly from the International Space Station or ISS, which orbits at an average altitude of about 400 kilometers above sea level.
4. The Dark Pyramid
There is some disagreement among astronauts about whether the Pyramids of Giza can be seen with the naked eye from space. British astronaut Tim Peake said he could not see it, but acknowledged that the massive structure could be seen relatively clearly through an 800mm lens.
However, Leroy Chiao, a former NASA astronaut and commander of the ISS, claimed to have seen the pyramids while in orbit.
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So, what about the Great Wall of China? This myth has officially faded. The wall cannot be seen from outer space with the naked eye, including from orbiting spacecraft. [SN/HBS]
