14 DAY TRIAL // This past June 9, NASA's Earth Observatory released this photo of the island of Manhattan as seen from space. So now you know: somebody is always watching over us, so try not to be rude and pick your nose in public, even if you think nobody is looking.
On its website, NASA details that the photo was taken by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station a little over a month ago, on May 5. At that time, the distance between the Station and the island of Manhattan was one of about 220 miles (354 kilometers).
The Hudson River and the East River are visible in this photo, as is Central Park. According to NASA, the shadows of buildings in the Financial District also appear in it. This is despite the fact that the picture was taken quite early in the afternoon.
“The ragged line of shadow cast by the Palisades cliff (in New Jersey) crosses the bottom of the image. Wharves jut into the rivers; bridges are visible thanks to the shadows they cast; and the grid pattern of major streets stands out,” the Administration explains.
Furthermore, “On Manhattan itself, the main visual features are Central Park (with playing fields appearing as white dots) and two darker zones where the tallest buildings of Midtown and the Financial District cast long shadows even in this early afternoon view.”
Since astronauts appear to be quite passionate about snapping photos of our planet from aboard the International Space Station, it is to be expected that NASA will soon release more images like this one. Not to worry, I'll make sure to let you know the moment this happens.