The Highest GigaPan Panoramas On Earth’s Surface
Image: This is a portion of the GigaPan panorama taken by Scott Parazynski at Mount Everest’s Camp IV at 26,000 feet (7,924 meters) at approximately 10 am local time, May 19, 2009. The saddle between Mount Everest and Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain in the world) is also known as the South Col can be seen. The Challenger Center Everest team believes that this is the highest GigaPan image ever taken on the surface of the Earth.
On 20 May 2009 astronaut Scott Parazynski became the first person to have both travelled in space and to stand atop the summit of Mt. Everest. From that vantage point he was able to view a stunning “orbital sunrise” – one not unlike what he had seen during his five space missions.
On his way up the mountain Parazynski managed to capture two GigaPan panoramas – stunningly huge images that are likely to be the highest images of their kind ever taken on the surface of the Earth.
While the achievment of a personal goal was at the core of this climb, Parazynski sought to involve many others in the experience of climbing Earth’s highest mountain. He did this through a variety of outreach activities that utilized traditional and social networking tools.
Given that Parazynski’s prime focus was to be upon climbing the mountain, he was assited in his education and public outreach by Keith Cowing who accompanied Parazynski to Nepal. While Parazynski climbed Everest, Cowing worked at Everest Base Camp as Parazynski’s “news sherpa” collecting and relaying news of his progress to friends and followers back home.
Parazynski and Cowing were provided logistical support by International Mountain Guides (IMG). Parazynski arrived at Everest Base Camp at the beginning of April 2009. Cowing arrived exactly one month later. They stayed at Everest until Parazynski summited on 20 May. You can read their exploits online at onorbit.com/everest.
Both Cowing and Parazynski were representing the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, a non-profit educational organzation upon whose Board of Directors Cowing and Parazynski serve. Indeed, Parazynski was elected to the Board of Directors while he was at Everest Base Camp. Cowing cast his ballot for Parazynski from a dirt floored Internet Cafe in Dengboche, Nepal.
Full story and Gigapan images at onorbit.com
