NASA Technique for Manipulating Satellite Photos Now Reveals Ancient Images

What happened

They were discovered between 2010 and 2012, along with about 200 other paintings throughout the complex, by an archaeologist using a method conceived at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. 3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Jon Harman poses in front of an example of the Rancho Bernardo style of Native American artwork that’s barely visible until Dstretch is applied.

It is especially popular for studying ancient rock art, partly due to the chance intersection of one man’s hobby with his professional background. Harman made his plug-in for use with ImageJ, an open-source program developed by the National Institutes of Health. Around 2010, he also created smartphone apps that use a shortcut to mimic decorrelation stretch. It has been used to spot and clarify imagery at ancient sites under a cliff in Norway, in an Egyptian tomb, at a park in Canada, and in many other locations.

Key facts

• 3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Jon Harman poses in front of an example of the Rancho Bernardo style of Native American artwork that’s barely visible until Dstretch is applied.
• They were discovered between 2010 and 2012, along with about 200 other paintings throughout the complex, by an archaeologist using a method conceived at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
• It is especially popular for studying ancient rock art, partly due to the chance intersection of one man’s hobby with his professional background.
• Harman made his plug-in for use with ImageJ, an open-source program developed by the National Institutes of Health.
• Around 2010, he also created smartphone apps that use a shortcut to mimic decorrelation stretch.