Visibility From Space

Almost everybody think that the Great Wall of China is the only manmade object visible from space. In reality, many human constructs can be seen from Earth orbit.

Astronauts can see highways, airports, dams and even large vehicles from an Earth orbit that is about 215 kilometers high. Cities can easily be distincted from surrounding countryside, and that’s true even from the higher perch of the International Space Station, which circles the planet at about 400 kilometers up.

“You can see an awful lot from space,” says astronaut Ed Lu. “You can see the pyramids from space, especially with a pair of binoculars. They are a little difficult to pick out with just your eyes.”

Egyptian pyramids have been photographed from space several times using just standard digital cameras and high-powered lenses.

There are some surprises, too.

“You can see airplane contrails, and occasionally at the end of an airplane contrail, you will see a glint of sunlight off the airplane,” Lu says. “And very occasionally, you do see other satellites go by. It is kind of a neat thing to see.”

There are of course places in space from which you can’t notice how humans have sculpted the planet. Apollo astronauts could not make out manmade features from the Moon, for example. And from Mars, Earth would appear to the naked eye as nothing but a bright “star” in the night sky.

So what about the Great Wall of China?

“You can see the Great Wall,” Lu says. “But it’s less visible than a lot of other objects. And you have to know where to look.”

We’re 100% sure, that the weirdest manmade object that can be seen from space is this pink knitted giant rabbit.

This vast, 200ft-long pink creature can be found lying on its back in the Italian Alps, near the village of Artesina. Now you don’t have to travel to Italy to see it because it’s on google maps.

Visitors to the rabbit aren’t just expected to stand and stare at the art, nodding wisely. Gelitin suggest climbing over the rabbit, exploring the knitted internal organs spilling out of the hole in its side, or possibly going to sleep on its belly.