Aerial View Maps

why does the earth look upside down from spaceships?

look at any real image from a satellite or a shuttle the earth would appear in reverse, as if we have to tilt our head down. why does it appear like that?

Public Comments

1. As the earth is spherical which side is up when you are outside looking at it?
2. there is no up or down, north or south - these are just conventions used in maps!
3. let's go up. you can show me what you are talking about. seriously, it's probably the camera.
4. well as the earth is a sphere, i assume it would depend where above the earth the satelite was...
5. why does Australia have maps with north america upside down? Where or what is up? Who gets to decide.? Interesting question. There is no up or down...up for you in, say, the US, is down for someone in China. And vice versa.! Same goes in Space... If you see a space ship from earth, it is "up" in the sky/space. From the space ship, the earth is "down" or "upside down"! This is what made Einstein mad, famous and change the world! Relativity!
6. There is this tricky concept to the terms 'up' or 'down'. But the question itself first. that is because the astronauts or the robot arm or whatever took the camera was in reverse position relative to the earth at the time of taking the picture. If you want to prove the point turn yourself upside down and take a picture of your sister. Unless you are that astronaut and remember that you were upside down when you took it, it seems your sister was somehow hovering upside down (for whatever reason...) Ok. back to 'up' and 'down'. we people on earth take it for granted that 'up' is towards the sky and 'down' is towards the ground. the physical reality is not so. 'down' is always towards the greatest gravitational force around. that would be earth for our case, and we are continuously attracted by it. so if you let go of a ball it sure is falling towards 'earth'. hence 'up' will be a reverse to 'down'. now imagine being in some point in space where there is no significant attraction from any planet, or heavenly body for that matter. Do you think there will be a 'down' direction?....nope! whatever orientation you are placed in you will not know the difference. that may partly explain the laziness of astronauts taking pictures of our beloved world without being sensitive to the feelings of the rest of us down here. Notice also the advantages of freedom from orientation for a multitude or technical maneuvers in space. It is hard to imagine the concepts of Gravity and Mass when we are all surrounded by it. Next time you see an apple fall down from a tree and wander how perplexing the idea is, remember to thank Isaac Newton.
7. Because it puts the northern hemisphere where it belongs - on the bottom.
8. does it?