QI asked this, and also did it in their book. However while they got the wrong answer correct, they were wrong about the* right *answer.
Oh SBMBers, which is the right answer?
Are we smarter than QI or dumber than Alan Davies?
QI asked this, and also did it in their book. However while they got the wrong answer correct, they were wrong about the* right *answer.
Oh SBMBers, which is the right answer?
Are we smarter than QI or dumber than Alan Davies?
The ISS?
The lower parts of several Lunar Modules and assorted lunar hardware.
Space helmet
Very good. QI said “nothing”.
Well, if the sun hits several satellites right, yes, you could see them as points of light.
And if you had a guide, so you knew when, you could say “That moving star is the ISS”, I guess.
But I wouldn’t say this counts.
Assuming you want to leave, you better hope you can see the Command Module orbiting above you.
Now that that’s settled, the more interesting question is what is QI and why did the OP think it didn’t need explanation?
Space gloves
I’d be willing to bet that you could see the light from the Excalibur in Vegas, if it was pointed directly at you.
But, not very much money.
QI, which stands for Quite Interesting, is a British Television show that has also put out a couple of books. Stephen Fry was the host until recently, and if you look you can find partial episodes on Youtube and sometimes a season on BBC America or PBS.
“The format of the show focuses on Davies and three other guest panellists answering questions that are extremely obscure, making it unlikely that the correct answer will be given. To compensate, the panellists are awarded points not only for the right answer, but also for interesting ones, regardless of whether they are right or even relate to the original question, while points are deducted for “answers which are not only wrong, but pathetically obvious”[4] – typically answers that are generally believed to be true but in fact are misconceptions. These answers, referred to as “forfeits”, are usually indicated by a loud klaxon and alarm bell, flashing lights, and the incorrect answer being flashed on the video screens behind the panellists. Bonus points are sometimes awarded or deducted for challenges or incorrect references, varying from show to show. QI has a philosophy that “everything is interesting if looked at in the right way”;[5] many factual errors in the show have been corrected in later episodes or on the show’s blog.”
Whyever not?
Because altho you can see a point of light, you can’t see any details which makes it the ISS.
Well then, I guess you can’t see stars from the moon either. (The sun excepted.)
It’s a fine point and certainly I am not going to give you the Buzzer of Absolute Wrongness on this.
Phew! Sounds like I dodged a bullet - that buzzer doesn’t sound survivable.
Our lighting array is pretty visible.
How about “the place where the Aral Sea used to be”? That’s man-made.
You can barely make out the continents from the Moon.
And, inversely, all the large réservoirs such as Lake Kariba.