Fact or fiction: The Great Wall of China is one of the seven modern wonders of the world and China’s most famous monument. This is the destination of all foreign tourists when coming to the land of dragons.
However, the Great Wall of China, which stretches a whopping 21,196 km, is often said to be the only man-made structure visible from space. This view has prevailed for nearly a century and has become such common knowledge that it is taught in textbooks and schoolbooks as a fact.
Today, we challenge this belief. Let’s dive in to find out whether the notion that the Great Wall of China is visible from space is fact or fiction.
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The Great Wall of China, a wonder of the modern world
The Great Wall of China, the world’s largest military defense structure, was built by the Qin Empire of China more than 2,000 years ago to defend itself against the Huns to the north. The wall was later extended, reinforced or restored by later empires and once stretched more than 21,000 km.
Today, the longest and best-preserved section of the city wall is 8,850 km long and was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). The Great Wall is of great importance to China. It has become a symbol of national unity, representing the courage and fight of the Chinese empires against the invading Northern tribes.
Why do people believe that the Great Wall of China is visible from space?
The belief that the Great Wall of China can be seen from space has existed for nearly 300 years. In 1754, English scientist and antiquarian Reverend William Stukeley first suggested that the Great Wall of China could be seen from the Moon due to its enormous length.
Similarly, in the 19th century, famous Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli observed large canals on Mars that were mistranslated into English as “canals.” This has led to the belief that Martian structures seen from Earth are man-made structures, and if they are seen here then giant structures on Earth, such as the Great Wall of China of China, will also be visible from space.
However, the concept of the Great Wall of China being visible from space has been popular since 1932. Ripley believe it or not! illustration. It calls the Wall “man’s greatest work, the only one visible to the human eye from the moon” without any evidence to support that claim. And so the assumption that the Great Wall of China is the only man-made structure visible from space originated.
Photo source: Chinese photography
Can the Great Wall of China be seen from the Moon?
Finally, we address the core issue at hand. Is the Great Wall of China visible from space or the Moon? The answer is not that simple, but to put it simply, it is “No!”
NASA’s Apollo mission disproved this view. Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the Moon, was asked in many interviews whether he saw the wall. Armstrong appeared to see no man-made structures on the Moon’s surface, only continents, lakes, and scattered white spots on a blue background.
Apollo 12 lunar module pilot and fourth person to walk on the Moon, Alan Bean, said similarly: “The only thing you can see from the Moon is a beautiful sphere, mostly white, some blue and patches of yellow, with some green vegetation every now and then. No have any man-made objects been seen at this scale.”
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Is the Great Wall of China visible from space?
We’ve proven that the Great Wall of China cannot be seen from the Moon, but what about space in general or lower Earth orbit? The answer is still no. China’s astronaut Yang Liwei, the first Chinese person in space, debunked the myth in 2003 when he admitted that he did not see the Great Wall. Liwei’s statement about the connection between the Great Wall and outer space had such an impact in China that textbooks stating the contrary were required to be revised.
Famous Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield and former commander of the International Space Station also said that he did not see the Great Wall of China from space.
I have never seen the Great Wall of China from space and neither have Chinese astronauts. Maybe with a big enough camera lens and fresh air.
— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield)
March 5, 2013
In 2004, NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao took a photo of the Great Wall of China from the International Space Station (408 km from Earth) under favorable conditions, which showed the wall. However, only thanks to magnification, little cloud cover, little to no pollution, and snow in the nearby area, the wall is even remotely visible from outer space. And even then, high-resolution cameras and advanced telescopes are needed.
Furthermore, the wall is the same color as its surroundings in most parts of China and is not located at a high enough altitude, like Mt. Everest, to stand out, makes it difficult to locate the wall from outer space, and it also makes it difficult to locate the wall from outer space. the same contrasts. It is virtually impossible to see the Great Wall of China with the naked eye from outer space without magnification, much less the Moon or any other celestial body.
The following image was taken from the ISS in 2004 and shows the visible parts of the Great Wall of China. Ask yourself, do you see a giant wall?
Even with arrows pointing to the supposedly visible portion of the Great Wall of China, seeing it is still extremely difficult.
Image source: NASA
In short
The Great Wall of China is certainly a miraculous architectural feat, but that reality has no significance beyond Earth. In the vastness of space, the Wall, like most structures on Earth, is just a speck of dust. However, the Great Wall of China can be seen from space (low Earth orbit) through magnification and under favorable conditions. But that doesn’t say much, since today’s cameras can capture a person mowing the lawn from hundreds of miles away in space. We can therefore conclude that the belief that the Great Wall of China is the only man-made structure visible from space or the moon is a fiction.
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Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: pagasa.edu.vn