5 Earthly Objects You Had No Idea Can Be Seen From Space
Ever since the dawn of civilization, humanity has tried to reach the stars, even if space is seriously bad for our bodies. We've been fascinated with what is beyond our skies, and we've tried to leave behind massive structures that could withstand the test of time. Since humans don't live forever, perhaps our work could. So when we started exploring outer space and getting closer to the stars, we wanted to imagine that earthly monuments could reach us there. Unfortunately, that is not entirely the case. One of the greatest myths about space is that you can see the Great Wall of China outside Earth. Sadly, that is not the case.
That being said, many other man-made objects are visible from space. Sure, most are hard to properly distinguish from a long distance, like the International Space Station or the moon. And even then, they have special equipment to capture certain vistas. That being said, you can still see them. Here are some of the most surprising ones.
Greenhouses of Almería, Spain
The sea of greenhouses in the Almería province of southern Spain is so vast it can actually be seen from space. The greenhouse complex covers over 25,000 hectares of land and is responsible for millions of tons of fruits and vegetables grown. If you live anywhere in Spain or many parts of Europe, chances are your fruits and vegetables are grown in Almería.
The sea of plastic greenhouses reflects the sunlight during the daytime, which helps it be seen from space. Unlike the Great Wall of China, which blends into its background when seen from space, the greenhouses are more distinct. They are surrounded by water on one side and mountains on the other, making the greenhouses easier to distinguish from above the atmosphere.
That being said, this has also started to affect the region's climate, with Almería seeing average temperatures cool down over the past couple of decades compared to the temperature rises in the rest of the region.
Kennecott Copper Mine, Utah
The Bingham Canyon Mine, also known as the Kennecott Copper Mine, is one of the biggest open-pit mines in the world. The mine, located southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah, is over 2.5 miles wide and 0.75 miles high. It is so big — the largest artificially made excavation on the planet — it is visible to the naked eye.
The mine has been in operation for over 100 years and is considered one of the most productive mines in the whole world. It operates every hour of every day, all year long, and has seen over 19 million tons of refined copper produced over the past 116 years.
Again, a big part of why this can be seen from space is because of how the mine has changed the look of the landscape around it. The area surrounding the mine is mostly forest and mountains, so a sand-colored mine that looks like a giant pit is noticeable from a huge distance.
Palm Islands, Dubai
Dubai is no stranger to extravagant structures. The city even features a fake sunken city in the deepest swimming pool in the world. But the Palm Islands are so big they can be seen from space. These are three artificial islands, called Palm Jumeirah, Deira Islands, and Palm Jebel Ali, and were built in the early 2000s.
To build the Palm Islands, workers scooped out sand from the bottom of the Persian Gulf and then sprayed it to create shapes that could stand out from the dark water below. The name Palm Islands refers to the islands' shape, which is in the form of giant palm trees. The islands are home to luxury hotels, shopping malls, and more. Their construction has extensively impacted the local environment, leading to coastal erosion.
Like any island, the Palm Islands stand out in the middle of the ocean, but their unique palm shapes allow them to be distinguishable from space.
Great Pyramids of Giza
There's actually some disagreement over whether you can see the Great Pyramids of Giza from outer space. Still, enough pictures have been shared from onboard the ISS that we are adding them to this list. While the Great Wall cannot be seen from space, it is comforting to know that at least one of the 7 Wonders of the World can be seen from outside Earth.
All three of the pyramids of Giza can be seen and were first photographed by NASA back in 2001. The oldest and biggest of the pyramids, made for Pharaoh Khufu, was built in 2570 BC and stands at nearly 500 feet tall. The second tallest was made for Pharaoh Khafre, while the third and smallest was made for Pharaoh Menkaure.
The pyramids are interesting because they can easily blend with the sand-colored ground that surrounds them. What makes them visible from space is the fact that they sit in an intersection between the urban development of the city and the desert landscape. From space, they look like three squares partially covered in shadow.
Three Gorges Dam, China
The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam built along the Yangtze River in China. It is the largest hydroelectric power generator and a man-made structure so massive it is visible in space to the naked eye. The dam was built in order to prevent the massive floodings that generated around the Yangtze River, the third largest in the world. The project displaced over half a million people during construction in the early 2000s. It may not be the Great Wall of China, but there is definitely a wonder of engineering located in the Middle Kingdom that can be seen outside of Earth.
The Yangtze River is so massive, as is the Three Gorges Dam, that when it fully fills up, it can even slow down the rotation of the entire planet. This is because of the principle of conservation of angular momentum. When you move parts of a spinning object's mass to a different altitude, it slows down the object. By holding so much water at a higher altitude (over 10 trillion gallons), the Earth's rotation is slowed down by an incredibly small amount.