FACT CHECK #L1RS43GG

WHAT WE FOUND

The claim that the Great Wall of China is visible from space with the naked eye is a persistent myth that has been debunked by astronauts and scientists 3 6 12. While the wall is very long, it is only a few meters wide and its color blends into the surrounding natural landscape, making it nearly impossible to distinguish from orbit without aid 2 8 9. NASA and various astronauts, including Chris Hadfield and Leroy Chiao, have confirmed that it is not visible from the Moon and is generally not visible from low Earth orbit to the unaided eye 2 4 9 11. Although some historical reports suggested visibility at low altitudes, the scientific consensus and first-hand accounts from space missions clarify that it cannot be seen without optical assistance 1 5 10.

SOURCES

1. 1 · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govACADEMIC
   Is it Really Possible to See the Great Wall of China from Space with a Naked Eye? - PMC

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2. 2 · factguard.orgFACT-CHECKER
   Is the Great Wall of China visible from space with the naked…

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3. 3 · timesnownews.comFACT-CHECKER
   Fact Check: Is The Great Wall Of China Visible From Space? | Times Now

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4. 4 · nasa.govACADEMIC
   Great Wall - NASA

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5. 5 · skyatnightmagazine.comACADEMIC
   Can you see the Great Wall of China from space? | BBC Sky at Night Magazine

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6. 6 · tandfonline.comACADEMIC
   The Great Wall of China can be Seen from Space: Geographic Information Sciences: Vol 12, No 2

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7. 7 · en.wikipedia.orgWEB
   Artificial structures visible from space - Wikipedia

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8. 8 · timesofindia.indiatimes.comWEB
   Great Wall of China is visible from space: Fact or myth? | - The Times of India

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9. 9 · spacedaily.comWEB
   The Great Wall of China is not actually visible from space with the naked eye — astronauts from Apollo to the ISS have confirmed it — and the popular myth that it is predates space travel itself, with the best-known version coming from a 1932 Ripley's Believe It or Not cartoon

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10. 10 · sikho.aiWEB
    Great Wall China Visible Space Myth Debunked | Sikho.ai

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11. 11 · britannica.comWEB
    Can you see the Great Wall of China from space? | Britannica

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12. 12 · chinadiscovery.comWEB
    Can You See the Great Wall of China from Space & Pictures from Space

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