Reflections on Planet Earth (APOD 19 Jul 2006)

paulemersun · Post by **paulemersun** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 1:29 pm

If you open the image and blow it to full screen, full resolution, there are some amazing celestial items in the background; specifically, a white whisp curling up from the earths' atmospheric shell, some streaks L and R above the camera pack, and a full celestial body above the array. Could you comment on what these are? I wanna fly with these guys!

BMAONE23 · Post by **BMAONE23** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 2:59 pm

I can say that I think the whisp coming from Earth is probably some kind of tie line on the orbiter that is reflecting in the visor. As for the rest of your questions??? Any other thoughts?

orin stepanek · Post by **orin stepanek** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 3:08 pm

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060719.html
It's amazing what you can see in a helmet visor's reflection. Like the other astronaut's reflection and the reflection of the first astronaut's reflection in his.
Orin

ckam · Post by **ckam** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 3:33 pm

why we don't see their faces? is it because it's dark in the helmet, or is it special solar protection or something?

coldbeer · Post by **coldbeer** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 5:39 pm

Its interesting how everything is wrapped in a fabric cover - nothing is exposed. Is that for thermal reasons or something else?

Qev · Post by **Qev** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 5:47 pm

I believe the visors are tinted to protect the astronauts from glare and direct solar radiation. In fact, I think they're coated in a very thin layer of gold, but I could be mistaken (gold is an excellent reflector of infrared radiation, ie. heat). This would also make the interior of the helmet dark.

I'd imagine everything is wrapped up like that for thermal and micrometeorite protection.

The whisp on the left looks like it could be a tether line playing out someplace behind the camera. If you look on the larger image, the other blobs and whisps appear to be specular reflections from the camera light off of the astronaut's visor (you can see diffraction colours).