Scenes of the Earth: Slide Show Assessment Activity

Some satellites can see small areas with high levels of detail. Some

satellites can see large areas in low detail.

Now we will see this in some images of the Epcot Center, a part of Disney

World in the state of Florida.

Here is a photo of “Spaceship Earth” at the Epcot Center, taken from ground level. It is

big! See the people at the bottom?

Here is “Spaceship Earth”, seen in the center of this high detail satellite image. Can you

see it? Can you see its shadow? What shape is it? What other details do you see in the

image?

“Spaceship Earth” is now in the center of this medium detail satellite image. Can you see

it? Can you see its shadow? What other details do you see in the image?

“Spaceship Earth” is in the center of this medium-low detail satellite image too. Can you see it? Can you see its shadow? What

other details do you see in the image?

“Spaceship Earth” is also near the center of this low detail satellite image! Can you see

it? Can you see its shadow? What other details do you see in the image?

Believe it or not, “Spaceship Earth” is also near the center of this very low detail

satellite image! Can you see it? Can you see its shadow? What other details do you

see in the image?

Now, write down answers to these questions:

1.What is detail?

2.What is area?

3.How are detail and area related when looking at ground scenes?

4.How might you be able to find the area shown in the last scene?

Acknowledgment

The images shown in this slide show were acquired by the IKONOS (high detail), Landsat 7 (medium detail), and MODIS satellite sensors (low detail). Image sequence courtesy of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific

Visualization Studio.

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