Minimum Aperture Diameter Calculation for Resolving Details from an SR-71 Blackbird Airplane

What is the minimum aperture diameter of a camera needed to resolve detail on the ground the size of a person from an SR-71 Blackbird airplane flying at an altitude of 29 km?

Given: Altitude of airplane = 29 km, Person's size = 2.0 m, Wavelength of light = 450 nm

Answer:

The minimum aperture diameter required to resolve details on the ground the size of a person from an SR-71 Blackbird airplane is 7.96 mm.

When capturing images from high altitudes using cameras, the resolution capability becomes crucial. In this scenario, we are dealing with determining the minimum aperture diameter that allows a camera to resolve details on the ground the size of a person from an SR-71 Blackbird airplane flying at an altitude of 29 km.

The calculation involves considerations such as the altitude of the airplane, the size of the object on the ground, and the wavelength of light being used. By applying Raleigh's criterion, which involves the angle of resolution, we can determine the minimum aperture diameter needed.

Given the altitude of 29 km, size of the person as 2.0 m, and the wavelength of light as 450 nm, the formula results in a minimum aperture diameter of 7.96 mm. This calculation ensures that the camera can effectively resolve details of the specified size from the given altitude.