Jaw-dropping picture showcases Giza Pyramids from space
- The tombs of the pharaohs are a favorite subject of photography by astronauts in orbit
- The image represents, for its time, the greatest detail of the Giza plateau captured from a human-occupied spacecraft
- It was captured on 15 August, 2001, by astronauts onboard the ISS
Published on Mar 08, 2024 at 8:30 PM (UTC+4)
by Adam Gray
Last updated on Mar 08, 2024 at 8:30 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
The Giza Pyramids are the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and perhaps the most famous monuments in Egypt.
They’re also a favorite subject of photography by astronauts in orbit.
One particular jaw-dropping image taken by astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS) is absolutely mesmerizing.
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To be fair, it’s not the first picture we’ve seen of the Giza Pyramids from space.
An astronaut managed to snap a once-in-a-lifetime image of Earth on his last day in space.
NASA astronaut, Terry W. Virts, spent six months on the International Space Station (ISS).
There was one picture in particular he was trying to capture for the entire time he was there.
Amazingly, on his last day in space, he finally managed to snap the perfect shot.
Virts’ idea was pretty straightforward.
He just wanted to take a photograph of one of the world’s Seven Wonders, the Giza Pyramids in Egypt.
“It took me until my last day in space to get a good picture of these,” he wrote on X.
The above image pre-dates Virts’, however, that doesn’t make it any less impressive.
The image, taken on 15 August, 2001, represented – at the time – the greatest detail of the Giza plateau captured from a human-occupied spacecraft (approximate 7m resolution).
Afternoon sun casts shadows that help the eye make out the large pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure.
Sets of three smaller queens’ pyramids can be seen to the east of the Pyramid of Khufu and south of the Pyramid of Menkaure.
The light-colored causeway stretching from the Mortuary Temple at the Pyramid of Khafre to the Valley temple near the Sphinx can also be seen.
Because it’s not tall enough to cast a deep shadow, the Sphinx itself cannot readily be distinguished.
We’ve been treated to amazing pictures taken in orbit before.
Not long ago, another astronaut managed to capture a rare event called ‘airglow‘ from the ISS.
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Adam Gray is an experienced freelance motoring journalist and content creator based in the United Kingdom. Using his media accreditation with manufacturers’ press offices, Adam test drives the latest cars and attends new vehicle press launches, producing written reviews and news pieces for a variety of lifestyle and business publications. Here at Supercar Blondie, Adam applies his journalistic skills penning social-first content around current news and trends. When he’s not behind the wheel of the latest car or writing up another viral story, Adam can be found at his local rink playing ice hockey or at the Riverside Stadium supporting his beloved Middlesbrough FC.
