2007-12-23 15:26:19 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
That would depend on the on board camera don't you think ? Half the earth is possible. So is as little as a city block or less. Weather satellites need to see as much of the earth as they can so they would be looking at half the earth at a time. Spy satellites can focus there cameras on very specific targets and can actually read a cars license plate from space.
2007-12-23 15:39:26 · answer #1 · answered by old-bald-one 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Altitude affects this. The camera lens on the satellite also has something to do with this.
At no time will a satellite be able to see more than 50% of the Earth, and in fact it is likely that it will be in the 35-45% range even for far out satellites.
2007-12-23 23:35:27 · answer #2 · answered by The_Doc_Man 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the orbit, which can range from about 600 miles to over 23000 miles. Obviously, at larger orbits, you can see more of the Earth, but you will never see more than 50% at any instant, since you can't see the side of Earth that's behind the side that you can see.
At Low Earth Orbit (LEO) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Earth_orbit , which is normally as low as 600 mi, you'll see less.
2007-12-23 23:47:47 · answer #3 · answered by arbiter007 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Up to half of it, depending on how far out in orbit it is.
2007-12-23 23:29:15 · answer #4 · answered by Synthuir 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
iT DEPENDS ON HOW HIGH THE SATELLITE IS.
2007-12-24 01:16:19 · answer #5 · answered by Renaissance Kid 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
almost half,very very close to half, but not quite.
2007-12-23 23:30:58 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋