If it seems like something from a 1980s science fiction movie, well, welcome to the year 2015.
Cameras now mounted to the International Space Station have started beaming full-color HD video of Earth from space, and provide a startling level of detail in closeup. Even if you can’t quite make out people’s hair-dos, you can definitely see the color of their cars.
The videos, created by a commercial satellite company with the unfortunate name of Urthecast, show roads, parks, and waterways of three cities: Boston, Barcelona, and London.
The Boston video, a mere 47 seconds long, shows the Fens, Fenway Stadium, the Christian Science Center and reflecting pool, and a little slice of the Charles at the top. The video is detailed enough that cars can be seen filtering back and forth on the Massachusetts Turnpike.
“With the ultimate goal of connecting the planet and highlighting what unites us all, we’re revealing a perspective of Earth from space that was previously reserved for a small few,” Scott Larson, chief executive and co-founder of Urthecast said in a statement on Wednesday. “By opening up our API to the web development community, we’re providing collaboration tools that will help people monitor, protect, and benefit our world and will lead to the democratization of Earth Observation imagery.”
Even though it’s undeniably interesting to look at a clips of Back Bay roofs, the videos have other useful elements as well: the high definition images could allow researchers to look more closely at evolving issues such as deforestation.
