Chinese New Year: Happy Year of the Tiger!

[skyline5k]

I'm guessing that this is the right place for this post.

As some may know, tomorrow night at this time (9:00pm Shanghai time, you do the math for your respective time zones), this whole country is going to light up like a firestorm. I've managed to live through about 9 years of the Chinese New Year, seeing the fireworks, firecrackers, fire-all sorts of things, go up and sometimes down, and igniting this whole country. In the small community that I've spent many a CNY, the whole place is brighter than noon, from about 9 to about 1am.

My question is... what does this whole phenomenon look like from space? From what I hear, the Great Wall isn't visible from space (but the Great Firewall probably is). But I'm willing to bet, when a country of 1.3 billion goes out and lights all sorts of pyrotechnics up, all in the same night, that MUST BE visible from space.

Any pics? Or as for tomorrow, might there be?

I'll be in Shanghai lighting my share of pyro-fun funs! Maybe that'll show up?

[tommac]

Happy new year, Mr Woods. Hope this year is better for you.

[Swift]

According to this space.com story it is not possible to see fireworks from space.

This Fourth of July weekend will be filled with dazzling fireworks displays for many Americans, but not for NASA astronaut Michael Barratt, who is flying high above Earth on the International Space Station.

Barratt is the only American on the space station's six-man crew, which includes two Russian cosmonauts and astronauts from Japan, Canada and Belgium. But while astronauts can see an amazing amount of detail on the Earth from the station's unique vantage point, spotting the traditional U.S. Independence Day fireworks is not among them.

"It's beyond the capability of human eye apparently to see manmade fireworks from orbit," NASA spokesperson Kelly Humphries told SPACE.com. "It's 200 miles away, you know."

And yes, happy year of the tiger to everyone.

[skyline5k]

In China though, it's not a fireworks display from one place in each city. In Shanghai, for example, I'll have some, the neighbors will have some, 20 families from the next building over will have some. Multiply that by 105 buildings in this complex, then multiply that by around 10,000 of these apartment complexes spread across Shanghai.

You haven't seen fireworks until you've been to a 2nd or 3rd tier city in China for Chinese New Years.

I was thinking that even on a clear night, one might be able to see something from orbit. But maybe not.

I'll see if I can't videotape some of it in Shanghai tonight to give you an idea, though I'm sure there are already tons up on youtube.

[Cougar]

In China though, it's not a fireworks display from one place in each city.... multiply that by around 10,000 of these apartment complexes spread across Shanghai....

Yes, I'd say the Shanghai display sounds quite different. If the weather's clear, I might be betting with you, skyline, just on a guess. Is it too late to launch a weather balloon?

[skyline5k]

If I do it from here, they'll arrest me for espionage.

[kleindoofy]

... visible from space ...

That begs for a definition before any meaningful answer can be given.

[skyline5k]

That begs for a definition before any meaningful answer can be given.

Let's say typical Space Shuttle orbit, or spy satellite orbit.

[Cougar]

That begs for a definition before any meaningful answer can be given.

Well yeah, namely magnification. Starting with, like, binoculars on the space station?

[skyline5k]

I tried to upload a video to youtube showing what it looks like in my neighborhood now, which isn't even close to what it'll look like in 4 1/2 hours at midnight, but I couldn't because I can't find my Sony camcorder install disk for my computer.

So I went to Sony.com, then Sony.net and tried to download it from there. It asked for the code on my disk. If I had that, I wouldn't be on the website in the first place.

So I contacted someone via Chat, where they told me I need to contact China. Silly me for providing the Chinese product number. Should've given them the American product number. It's the same camcorder regardless.

I kind of feel bad because I kind of gave the guy a bit of a hard time. I worked customer service before, so I know what it's like. Before I could tell him I don't blame him personally, my browser crashed. I guess that means someone out there is going to have a less than happy Chinese new year thanks to me.

I'll still record more tonight at midnight, but I'm going to need some time to find that disk so I can get it online in the first place.

[Andrew D]

I realize this is not really helpful at all, but a few years ago I flew into Salt Lake City on the 4th of July just after sunset, and the view was incredible. It looked like a joyfully colorful war-zone, really a sight to behold.