Oktoberfest from orbit

Munich's Theresienwiese is pictured Oct. 1 from DigitalGlobe's WorldView 2 Earth observing satellite. Credit: DigitalGlobe
Munich’s Theresienwiese is pictured Oct. 1 from DigitalGlobe’s WorldView 2 Earth observing satellite. Credit: DigitalGlobe

It turns out the world’s most famous beer festival is visible from space.

But even the sharpest-eyed orbiting Earth observatories — at least those known publicly — can’t see the thousands of lederhosen- and dirndl-wearing festival-goers hoisting beer by the liter in Munich’s Theresienwiese, where the 182nd celebration of Oktoberfest opened Sept. 19 and runs through Oct. 4.

DigitalGlobe’s WorldView 2 imaging satellite captured this view of the storied event in full swing Thursday, the company said.

WorldView 2 launched Oct. 8, 2009, from California aboard a Delta 2 rocket. The commercial satellite’s camera can resolve objects as small as 18 inches, or a half-meter, across on the ground.

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