Information Is Beautiful

The side of the Earth we’re not used to seeing

The Pacific Ocean covers 32.4% of the planet’s surface (more than all land & ice combined)

The ocean’s widest point is 19,800km. The circumference of the Earth’s equator is 40,075km

(via reddit https://bit.ly/EarthSide)

Jul 8 at 4:55pmWeb
Show threadLokjo - a European online mapJul 8

@infobeautiful

But how can it cover only a third (32%) when in the picture it's 50%?

(not biassing, just curious!)

Show threadElle Adam🇨🇦Jul 8
@lokjo @infobeautiful
My thoughts too! New Zealand sure looks lonely from this perspective.
Show threadLokjo - a European online mapJul 8

@ElleAdam @infobeautiful

Beautiful New Zealand should get waaaaay more attention in the world. It's been the 'outsider' for decades, purely because of it's location.

Show threadMarc CoutureJul 8
@lokjo @infobeautiful This is a view from an unspecified distance from the Earth surface, but not very far. In order to see an (almost) full hemisphere, you should much farther (on the Moon, for example).
Show threadLokjo - a European online mapJul 8

@jaamcouture @infobeautiful

Ah yeah that makes scence, thanks for the explanation!

Show threadJuho MäntysaloJul 8

@lokjo @infobeautiful

>But how can it cover only a third (32%) when in the picture it's 50%?

You can't draw half a round object on a paper.

See the picture. It's not very good (I did it on free hand) but as you can see, the satellite only sees so much (less than third: all of Pacific isn't in the picture).

The exact amount seen depends how far the eye is. The closer, the less.

@ElleAdam

Show threadElle Adam🇨🇦Jul 8
@iju @lokjo @infobeautiful Thank you very much for your clear explanation and drawing! I greatly appreciate it.😀
Show threadJuho MäntysaloJul 8

@lokjo @infobeautiful @ElleAdam

To continue, this is what the Fox satellite sees, and what the Sun sees:

Show threadJuho MäntysaloJul 9

@lokjo @infobeautiful @ElleAdam

I wrote earlier than only third is possible to be seen (with a disclaimer that I was bad with maths, but still).

This isn't true! Not only does amount of planet seen move from a fraction toward half as you move farther, but when the eye/lens is bigger than the viewed object, the amount changes from MORE THAN half TOWARD half as you move farther.

Examples being the different sized lenses of a camera.

Show threadLokjo - a European online map6d ago

@iju @infobeautiful @ElleAdam

Ha! This is so good, all the knowledge behind this, never realised it. Thanks for the work clearing that up. 😊

Show threadJuho Mäntysalo6d ago

@lokjo @infobeautiful @ElleAdam

Glad to be of assistance!

And I appreciate you taking the moment of spelling it out -- it means a lot to me!

Show threadStanley Q WoodvineJul 8
@iju @lokjo @infobeautiful @ElleAdam My unexpected new favourite view of Earth from space!
Show threadElle Adam🇨🇦Jul 8
@sqwabb @iju @lokjo @infobeautiful mine too - very striking!
Show threadNick 5d ago
@lokjo @ElleAdam the tldr is that we dont actually see 50% of earths surface in the picture,
to see 50% of a spheres surface one would need to have infinite distance to it.
The picture probsbly only shows about 30% of earths surface, but it appeaes as if not.
@infobeautiful
Show threadNick 5d ago

@lokjo Ah yes, now I found the long version, good video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxhxL1LzKww
@ElleAdam @infobeautiful

#Vsauce #Earth #scale #VideoRecommendation #YT

How Much of the Earth Can You See at Once?

YouTube
Show threadGemma ⭐️🔰🇺🇸 🇵🇭 🎐Jul 8
@infobeautiful I see Aotearoa!
Show threadEstarriol, lucozade dragonJul 8
@infobeautiful love that photo, especially how clear the NZ continental shelf is.
Show thread🌱 Alyssa 🏳️‍🌈Jul 8
@infobeautiful #mapsthatincludeaotearoa
Show threadsortius Jul 8
@infobeautiful dunno what you're talking about. Maps in Australia use Pacific-centre projections
Show threadXxPppp678XxJul 8
@infobeautiful wow i want to live in there it's so beautiful W A T E R and that's it
Show threadAndy Linton  ✅Jul 9
@infobeautiful If you zoom in you can see my house.😉
Show threadHugs4friends ♾🇺🇦 🇵🇸😷6d ago
@infobeautiful The Blue Marble.
Show thread🐟🐠🐡🐙🦑ptoothfish🦑🐙🐡🐠🐟6d ago
@infobeautiful i'm in this picture
Show threadRaj Patel 6d ago
@ptoothfish @infobeautiful I was worried they'd air-brushed us out but we're there in the corner following the curve 🥳
Show threadessjax6d ago
@irix @ptoothfish @infobeautiful #MapsWithNewZealand
Show threadessjax6d ago
@irix @ptoothfish @infobeautiful
Haha the #MapsWithNewZealand hastag:
Show threadAlex P Roe6d ago
@infobeautiful Waterworld! #film