How Much of the Earth Can You See at Once? | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Earth's size and roughness can be deceiving due to the scale at which we typically view it, but in reality, it is much smoother and larger than we perceive.

Key Insights

• 🛩️ Mount Everest appears much smaller when compared to the entire planet, highlighting Earth's immense size.
• 🫵 Earth's roughness is often exaggerated due to the scale at which we view it, but in reality, it is incredibly smooth.
• ◾ The human eye can only see a small portion of Earth's surface, limiting our view to just 80 square kilometers.
• 🧑‍🚀 Astronauts aboard the International Space Station can only see about three percent of Earth's surface at any given time.
• 🫀 Earth's surface can be described as a fractal, with a roughness that adds extra surface area for atoms to occupy.
• 🫀 Earth's surface, when compared to the number of atoms it contains, shows that there are more atoms on the surface than there are in every human body combined.
• 💦 Earth's water, despite covering a large portion of its surface, is relatively small compared to the entire planet.
• 🧑‍🏭 Earth's smoothness and curvature affect our visibility, with the horizon acting as a visual cage.
• 🫥 The further away you are from Earth, the smaller it appears, but more of its surface becomes visible.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: How does Earth's size compare to Mount Everest?

In terms of diameter, Mount Everest is tiny compared to Earth. If the Earth were the size of a small globe, Everest would only be a bump about two millimeters high.

Q: Can astronauts aboard the International Space Station see the entire Earth at once?

No, the International Space Station is not far enough away to see the entire Earth. Astronauts can only see about three percent of Earth's surface at any given time.

Q: How far away would you have to go to see the entire Earth?

The visibility of Earth depends on your altitude. To see the entire Earth at once, you would have to be infinitely far away, which is not possible. The most you can see is half of Earth's surface.

Q: Is Earth really smoother than a billiard ball?

Although Earth's surface appears smooth, it is not smoother than a billiard ball. The misconception stems from the interpretation of rules regarding roundness deviation, rather than texture.

Q: How much of Earth's surface is visible from the Moon?

From the Moon, only 49 percent of Earth's surface is visible. To see 50 percent, you would have to go infinitely far away, which is not possible.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Earth's tallest peak, Mount Everest, appears much smaller when compared to the entire planet, highlighting Earth's immense size.

• Our perception of Earth's roughness is often distorted by diagrams and maps, but in reality, Earth is incredibly smooth.

• The human eye can only see a limited portion of Earth's surface, with a maximum visible area of just 80 square kilometers.