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Discovery Channel
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In his book "Second Book of Marvels," published in 1938, Richard Halliburton stated that the Great Wall was the only man-made construction visible from the moon. While you can see a lot from the surface of the moon -- including our beautiful planet Earth -- it's impossible to see individual man-made structures. After all, the moon is about 239,000 miles (384,633 kilometers) away from Earth. Thus, the Great Wall of China cannot be seen from the moon.
For one thing, the wall is far too narrow to be seen from such a distance -- even at its widest, the Great Wall is only about 30 feet (9 meters) wide. The length of the Great Wall is often debated, but it ranges somewhere between 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometers) and 4,163 miles (6,700 kilometers) long, stretching across varied, and sometimes treacherous, terrain [source: Power]. Think about it: If the Great Wall was visible from space, wouldn't major highways, which are generally wider, also be easy to spot? Also, the Great Wall's neutral color blends in with the surrounding colors of nature. After all, the wall was originally constructed from rock, brick, earth and grass. Halliburton was grossly incorrect when he stated that the Great Wall was visible from the moon. However, under perfect conditions, you may be able to spot the Great Wall while orbiting Earth at a slightly closer range.
The Great Wall was erected over many centuries, likely starting around the fifth century B.C., in an effort to keep out invaders -- especially the Huns -- during times of war. Even if you can't see it from the moon, you can visit the Great Wall for a slightly closer view. About 10 million tourists make the trip to this lengthy landmark each year [source: BBC News].
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