Is it only a myth that you can see the great wall of china from space?

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DILB

You CANNOT see the Great Wall of China from space. It's a myth. At 200km above sea level which is a low(ish) orbit for the shuttle the human eye could, under normal daylight, resolve a black line on a white surface of not less than twenty two metres in width. Note the length is irrelevant. It's the width that counts here. The maximum width of the Great Wall of China is just 9.7 metres, and it is the same colour as the landscape in most areas. It can't be done - it'd be like trying to resolve a human hair from fifty metres away. As for seeing it from the moon, forget it.

As for using zoom lenses, telescopes, what have you - you'd be able to see it if you knew where to look, but you'd be able to see pretty much anything within the resolving power of the lens you were using, making the question redundant.

astazangasta

Pretty much a myth. Check out Wikipedia on the subject, they have a pretty good debunking:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Wall_of_China#From_outer_space

allen555

Yes

Father Dougal McGuire

You can see it from Nanking, though!

chrisharbidge

It depends on how high your orbit is, from the lowest orbit you could have and be in space, about 60 miles ish, you can see roads, buildings etc.. So you can see the wall from space, the myth is that you can see the great wall from the moon, which is rubbish, the only things you may be able to see are cities in darkness.

Also remember that the Governments with space capabilities, US, Russia, China etc.. have satallites that can read number plates from orbit

GatorHunterÂ®

No, you can not see the great wall of china from space, i even have the google earth as was posted above, what they think is the great wall is really a river, the great wall is just south of that river, and you loose sight of it at about 16 miles up, which is in the stratoshere, space does not begin till you hit 60 miles up, and the shuttle stays between 115 to 300 miles up, so no you can not see the great wall of china from space.

shaun s

Yes, Google earth, download it for free.

very good

it's true, last year i went to the moon , i saw the great wall of china from the moon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

grendeth

Its not a myth....I have seen it myself when I was out doing my space walk. seriously....no kidding

Lacieles

True, because even great rivers like Yangtze River (Longest and Widest River in Asia) can't be seen, what's more The Great Wall?

phelps

its true.
you can see the great wall from space.

Steve M

No - I've seen a picture of it taken from space.

My code 0 178 356 7433

By gentle ,this question the answer is nope,prove by astronaut Yang Liwei just now back from space say did not see.if to me,im also say Nope cuz great wall no the largest think can make you see at space,dont say myth.

Elise W

No you can actually see it! amazing too!
http://www.space.com/imageoftheday/image_of_day_040512.html