# What is the most famous present-day object that can be seen only in person (no photographs exist)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 8, 2011, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973 "2011-03-08T23:04:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/81 "2011-03-13T08:20:25Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > What about the “Green flash” that is supposed to be visible at sunset in the tropics? I’ve never seen a picture of the event. Admittedly though, it is an event, not an object. > [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I’ve heard of this green flash but never seen it myself. > [@Sakuma\_Drops](#): > > [Here you go!](http://www.google.com/images?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&hl=en&q=green+flash&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&sa=X&ei=feJ6TZqIDbCF0QHCwKndAw&ved=0CE0QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=647) 🙂 Green flash? How common. The [blue flash](http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap020109.html) is what you want to see. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/82 "2011-03-13T15:04:05Z")
> [@Heyoka13](#): > > Go outside and glance at it, and realize no photograph ever has done it justice; **THE SUN** You don’t think [this](http://www.aerospaceguide.net/solar_system/our_sun.gif) does it justice? If anything, it’s more spectacular in photographs! And anyone can take a picture of it, so I don’t think it counts for the premise of the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/83 "2011-03-13T16:50:29Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > BTW, the relic of the tooth of buddha has been photographed a few times. Here one: > > [http://lankapura.com/2008/07/sacred-tooth-relics-lord-buddha/](http://lankapura.com/2008/07/sacred-tooth-relics-lord-buddha/) Ah, well, so much for that idea. > [@alphaboi867](#): > > Nude photos of Michael Jackson. I would pay you to not show them to me. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/84 "2011-03-13T18:14:36Z")
Hey, thanks for the green flash photos. I actually thought it was a myth. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/85 "2011-03-14T00:02:17Z")
[The inside of an architect’s office near the top of the Chrysler Building?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=567913) Apparently they’re dicks about photography 😛 EDIT: Oops, I should have followed [all the links](http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/26/garden/26mayor.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2&sq&st=nyt%22&scp=7%22Chrysler%20Building) in that thread more thoroughly :o ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/86 "2011-03-14T00:50:26Z")
Brainstorm: the backs/bottoms of famous things. The back of the Mona Lisa, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/87 "2011-03-14T01:08:00Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Brainstorm: the backs/bottoms of famous things. The back of the Mona Lisa, for example. I’m not sure that’s accurate. While I don’t know about the Mona Lisa specifically, many paintings do have markings on the back of the canvas, which are quite important in proving the provenance (history, authenticity) of the painting. So photos of these back sides do exist, and are considered quite important by art curators. They just aren’t shown in public much – most people find them much less interesting than the front side! ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/88 "2011-03-14T01:18:42Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > I’m not sure that’s accurate. > While I don’t know about the Mona Lisa specifically, many paintings do have markings on the back of the canvas, which are quite important in proving the provenance (history, authenticity) of the painting. So photos of these back sides do exist, and are considered quite important by art curators. They just aren’t shown in public much – most people find them much less interesting than the front side! It was a random example..how about underneath the stones of Stonehenge? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/89 "2011-03-14T01:19:31Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Brainstorm: the backs/bottoms of famous things. The back of the Mona Lisa, for example. [http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Image:Mona\_Lisa\_Back\_Panel.PNG](http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Image:Mona_Lisa_Back_Panel.PNG) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/90 "2011-03-14T01:27:38Z")
In fact, it turns out that the back side of the Mona Lisa has been photographed, and it’s even available online: see [here](http://www.louvre.fr/llv/dossiers/visu_oal.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673229908&CURRENT_LLV_OAL%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673229908&bmLocale=en). ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/91 "2011-03-14T02:03:09Z")
I saw Lenin. The guards are very strict and growled at me for losing my balance. Nobody had any trouble with tourists giggling and taking pictures in front of the tomb of the unknown soldier out in front, though. Annoyed the hell out of me. > [@Superhal](#): > > Kind of a loophole, but all US government documents are available to the public because of the [Freedom of Information Act of 1966](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_Information_Act_%28United_States%29). … > > … “anything that hasn’t been discovered yet.” … > > Another possibility: court cases that are closed to the media. … A court case isn’t an object; something not yet/newly discovered probably couldn’t be famous; I believe one can see ONLY images (copies, scans, .pdfs) of FOIA documents … Something famous with no picture seems impossible - haven’t I read about celebrity ultrasounds being leaked? If it were impossible to take a picture .. But if something is visible, it is possible to capture an image on film or digitally … Unless the film or electronic would be damaged somehow … The core of the Japanese reactor? It is famous, the radiation would damage film, there is no qualification the observer survives to a healthy old age … Ah, getting in would probably be tough. ---
**Author:** ![Stormcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@Stormcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stormcrow)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/92 "2011-03-14T14:29:55Z")
> [@Hennessy](#): > > So what is famous that requires two eyes, perhaps to get the full experience? Taking that a step farther - no picture probably exists of the Great Wall of China. By that I mean the entire wall, yet in a level of detail that allows one to actually view it in any meaningful detail. I’m sure photos from orbit exist, but probably don’t show more than a line snaking across China. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/93 "2011-03-14T15:10:16Z")
For this OP I can only think of “cheat” answers… 1. At the moment a number of labs around the world are racing to make the first metamaterial that will deflect visible-light around it. When they succeed, surely this will fit the bill? 😃 2. If people who have NDEs really are visiting some other realm then…the tunnel of light. Of course they aren’t though… ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/94 "2011-03-15T20:29:53Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > The naughty bits of Miss Scarlett Johansson. I’m an average member of the general public, and I’ve never seen such a thing. I would very, very much like to see such a thing. As soon as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/95 "2011-03-15T20:46:47Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > Things that can be seen by an average member of the general public generally don’t have enough access restrictions to prevent at least a few of them from taking photographs, and the average member of the general public now carries a camera at all times. A number of museums forbid photography, require passage through metal detectors for entrance, and have guards in the galleries, so there are unquestionably famous art works on public display that cannot, in practice, be photographed by ordinary people. I don’t know if any of those also don’t have professional photographs available, though. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/96 "2011-03-15T21:44:03Z")
Bill Clinton’s penis? Judging by his past “conquests,” pretty much any average gal can take a gander at it. No known pictures, though. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/97 "2011-03-16T02:00:19Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > Pipped on both counts. I’ll just add that, unlike Ms Spears, I don’t think Ms Johansson puts hers on public display, which disqualifies them under the terms of the OP. Ms. Spears puts hers on pubic display… ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/98 "2011-03-16T03:05:40Z")
> [@Bladesman](#): > > God. Available to the general public? 😕 > [@HorseloverFat](#): > > I’m thinking the North Korean ‘International Friendship Exhibition.’ But Mao is more famous than this. Mao’s body has to be the answer. ---
**Author:** ![ch4rl3s](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c4cdca/32.png) [@ch4rl3s](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ch4rl3s)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/99 "2011-03-16T13:12:57Z")
Things that haven’t been developed yet aren’t famous. The backs of rocks that no one actually sees aren’t available to view. And, Beware of Doug… Just because you’re a member of the general public and got in to see it, doesn’t mean the rest of us have access as well. (a vote for second funniest answer in the thread.) > [@Mahaloth](#): > > [QUOTE=Bladesman] > God. Available to the general public? 😕 [/QUOTE] Doesn’t everyone get a chance to meet their maker? You may not _like_ the price of entry, but it’s easier than going to North Korea, and everyone pays it eventually. People will even offer to help you meet him. Bladesman… my vote for funniest answer in the thread. ---
**Author:** ![spikebrennan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@spikebrennan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spikebrennan)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973/100 "2011-03-16T21:39:20Z")
Only the Emperor and a select few high ranking priests are allowed to lay eyes on the [Imperial Regalia of Japan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Regalia_of_Japan). I am pretty sure that the Grand Shrine of Ise is the one that I was thinking of. > **[Ise Grand Shrine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Shrine_of_Ise)** > > The Grand Shrine of Ise (伊勢神宮, Ise Jingū), located in Ise, Mie Prefecture of Japan, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the solar goddess Amaterasu. Officially known simply as Jingū (神宮), Ise Jingū is a shrine complex composed of many Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, Naikū \[ja\] (内宮) and Gekū \[ja\] (外宮). > The Inner Shrine, Naikū (also officially known as "Kōtai Jingū"), is located in the town of Uji-tachi, south of central Ise, and is dedicated to the worship of Amaterasu, where she is beli... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-famous-present-day-object-that-can-be-seen-only-in-person-no-photographs-exist/573973.md?page=6)