Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Photographic Highlights

ISS003 Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Photographic Highlights

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ISS003-E-5588 World Trade Center Attack: This still image taken from the International Space Station on September 11, 2001, shows the World Trade Center smoke plume rising from the lower Manhattan area of New York City. This view was taken by Expedition Three Commander Frank Culbertson as the space station flew over New York shortly after the collapse of the towers that morning. The ISS crew was at an altitude of approximately 250 miles. Expedition 2 crew members photographed the same area earlier in the summer (ISS002-E-6169).

ISS003-E-5735 "Boilers" along the southeast coast of Bermuda: Along the south shore of Bermuda, waves break continuously along algal/vermetid reefs (composed of algae and molluscs, not coral), forming "boilers." Boilers are named because the continuous breaking of waves makes it look as if the sea is boiling. This photograph taken from the International Space Station shows the eastern half of the main islands of Bermuda. Land use is about 6 percent cropland, 55 percent developed and 34 percent rural. Reflective white-colored areas are buildings and other developments surrounded by green areas of vegetation. St. David’s Island is also home to the airport, with runways built out into Castle Harbour.
Hurricane Erin passed northeast of Bermuda early on September 10 with 115 mile-per-hour winds (a Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Scale), but causing very minimal damage. Astronauts aboard Space Station Alpha photographed the area on September 14, 2001. By then, the skies had cleared and Erin had become an extratropical low near Newfoundland.

ISS003-E-5120 Space Station view of the Pyramids at Giza: One of the world’s most famous archaeological sites has been photographed in amazing detail by the astronauts onboard Space Station Alpha. This image, taken 15 August, 2001, represents the greatest detail of the Giza plateau captured from a human-occupied spacecraft (approximate 7 m resolution). Afternoon sun casts shadows that help the eye make out the large pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. Sets of three smaller queens’ pyramids can be seen to the east of the Pyramid of Khufu and south of the Pyramid of Menkaure. The light-colored causeway stretching from the Mortuary Temple at the Pyramid of Khafre to the Valley Temple near the Sphinx (arrow) can also be seen.

ISS003-E-5073 Bombetoka Bay, Madagascar: Located along the northwest coast of the world’s fourth largest island, Madagascar, the Betsiboka River and its tributary streams are rapidly infilling the Bay of Bombetoka with sediment from the interior of the country. Notice within the estuary that several distributary channels have produced numerous islands. Due to the large quantity of sediment that the Betsiboka River continues to transport into the delta area, these islands are continuously changing shape and size. The darker areas on the islands and areas along sections of the coast show the extent of the mangrove forests. Erosion and the loss of vegetative cover reveal intricate drainage patterns that can be mapped from this type of image. The branching drainage pattern on the low plateau area immediately north of the Bay of Bombetoka is an excellent example. Similar erosional features can also be seen on the land along the south side of the bay. Sediment plumes that extend well into the Mozambique Channel are common. North is towards the lower right corner of the image.

ISS003-E-5606 Great Salt Lake, Utah: The largest salt lake in the Western Hemisphere, The Great Salt Lake, was 20 times the size of the present lake at the end of the last Ice Age. Ancient Lake Bonneville covered portions of three states, Utah, Nevada, and Idaho, and drained via the present day Snake and Columbia Rivers into the Pacific Ocean. As seen in the east-looking view, today's Great Salt Lake is bounded to the east by the rugged Wasatch Range (upper portion of the image). To the west, is the Great Salt Lake Desert (bottom center of the image) once the lake bottom of the former Lake Bonneville. The Great Salt Lake is divided by an east to west railroad causeway.

ISS003-E-6152 Green Aurora Seen from the Space Station: As geomagnetic storms cause beautiful displays of aurora across the United States, astronauts onboard the International Space Station also have the opportunity to take a look. Green colors of the aurora are dominant in this image captured by a digital still camera on October 4, 2001. Auroras are caused when high-energy electrons pour down from the Earth’s magnetosphere and collide with atoms. Green aurora occurs from about 100 km to 250 km altitude and is caused by the emission of 5577 Angstrom wavelength light from oxygen atoms. The light is emitted when the atoms return to their original unexcited state.
At times of peaks in solar activity, there are more geomagnetic storms and this increases the auroral activity viewed on Earth and by astronauts from orbit. By using a digital camera with a long exposure time, astronauts can capture a part of the light from the multicolored displays they observe, and downlink those images to Earth.

ISS003-E-7553 Hurricane Michelle: Pictured near Earth's horizon, Hurricane Michelle made landfall on Cuba on November 4, 2001, with sustained winds of 135 miles per hour. The most signficant impact was in the Matanzas province near Pinar del Rio. This scene was captured by one of the Expedition Three crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) using a digital still camera.

ISS003-E-7559 Hurricane Michelle: Pictured near Earth's horizon, Hurricane Michelle made landfall on Cuba a few hours later on November 4, 2001, with sustained winds of 135 miles per hour. The eye can be seen in the upper right quadrant of this oblique view. The most signficant impact was in the Matanzas province near Pinar del Rio. This scene was captured by one of the Expedition Three crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) using a digital still camera.

ISS003-E-6061 Brüggen Glacier, Chile: The Expedition 3 crew of the International Space Station caught a rare glimpse of the massive ice fields and glaciers of Patagonia early in the afternoon on September 25, 2001. This part of the South American coast sees frequent storms and is often obscured from view by cloud cover.
Brüggen Glacier in southern Chile is the largest western outflow from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and, unlike most glaciers worldwide, advanced significantly since 1945. From 1945 to 1976, Brüggen surged 5 km across the Eyre Fjord, reaching the western shore by 1962 and cutting off Lake Greve from the sea. The glacier continued advancing both northward and southward in the fjord to near its present position before stabilizing. The growth covers a distance of more than 10 km north to south, adding nearly 60 square km of ice.

ISS003-E-6816 Red Aurora as Seen from the Space Station: Red colors of the aurora are dominant in this image captured by a digital still camera in mid September 2001. Auroras are caused when high-energy electrons pour down from the Earth’s magnetosphere and collide with atoms. Red aurora occurs from 200 km to as high as 500 km altitude and is caused by the emission of 6300 Angstrom wavelength light from oxygen atoms. The light is emitted when the atoms return to their original unexcited state. The white spot in the image is from a light on the inside of the Station that is reflected off the inside of the window. The pale blue arch on the left side of the frame is sunlight reflecting of the atmospheric limb of the Earth.
At times of peaks in solar activity, there are more geomagnetic storms and this increases the auroral activity viewed on Earth and by astronauts from orbit. By using a digital camera with a long exposure time, astronauts can capture a part of the light from the multicolored displays they observe, and downlink those images to Earth.

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This service is provided by the International Space Station program and the JSC Astromaterials Research & Exploration Science Directorate.

Recommended Citation: Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center. "The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth." .

NASA Responsible Official: Susan Runco

Curator: jsc-earthweb@mail.nasa.gov

Contributors: Earth Sciences Web Team

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

International Space Station National Laboratory

Last Update:

Server: 1

ISS003-E-5588	World Trade Center Attack: This still image taken from the International Space Station on September 11, 2001, shows the World Trade Center smoke plume rising from the lower Manhattan area of New York City. This view was taken by Expedition Three Commander Frank Culbertson as the space station flew over New York shortly after the collapse of the towers that morning. The ISS crew was at an altitude of approximately 250 miles. Expedition 2 crew members photographed the same area earlier in the summer (ISS002-E-6169).
ISS003-E-5735	"Boilers" along the southeast coast of Bermuda: Along the south shore of Bermuda, waves break continuously along algal/vermetid reefs (composed of algae and molluscs, not coral), forming "boilers." Boilers are named because the continuous breaking of waves makes it look as if the sea is boiling. This photograph taken from the International Space Station shows the eastern half of the main islands of Bermuda. Land use is about 6 percent cropland, 55 percent developed and 34 percent rural. Reflective white-colored areas are buildings and other developments surrounded by green areas of vegetation. St. David’s Island is also home to the airport, with runways built out into Castle Harbour. Hurricane Erin passed northeast of Bermuda early on September 10 with 115 mile-per-hour winds (a Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Scale), but causing very minimal damage. Astronauts aboard Space Station Alpha photographed the area on September 14, 2001. By then, the skies had cleared and Erin had become an extratropical low near Newfoundland.
ISS003-E-5120	Space Station view of the Pyramids at Giza: One of the world’s most famous archaeological sites has been photographed in amazing detail by the astronauts onboard Space Station Alpha. This image, taken 15 August, 2001, represents the greatest detail of the Giza plateau captured from a human-occupied spacecraft (approximate 7 m resolution). Afternoon sun casts shadows that help the eye make out the large pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. Sets of three smaller queens’ pyramids can be seen to the east of the Pyramid of Khufu and south of the Pyramid of Menkaure. The light-colored causeway stretching from the Mortuary Temple at the Pyramid of Khafre to the Valley Temple near the Sphinx (arrow) can also be seen.
ISS003-E-5073	Bombetoka Bay, Madagascar: Located along the northwest coast of the world’s fourth largest island, Madagascar, the Betsiboka River and its tributary streams are rapidly infilling the Bay of Bombetoka with sediment from the interior of the country. Notice within the estuary that several distributary channels have produced numerous islands. Due to the large quantity of sediment that the Betsiboka River continues to transport into the delta area, these islands are continuously changing shape and size. The darker areas on the islands and areas along sections of the coast show the extent of the mangrove forests. Erosion and the loss of vegetative cover reveal intricate drainage patterns that can be mapped from this type of image. The branching drainage pattern on the low plateau area immediately north of the Bay of Bombetoka is an excellent example. Similar erosional features can also be seen on the land along the south side of the bay. Sediment plumes that extend well into the Mozambique Channel are common. North is towards the lower right corner of the image.
ISS003-E-5606	Great Salt Lake, Utah: The largest salt lake in the Western Hemisphere, The Great Salt Lake, was 20 times the size of the present lake at the end of the last Ice Age. Ancient Lake Bonneville covered portions of three states, Utah, Nevada, and Idaho, and drained via the present day Snake and Columbia Rivers into the Pacific Ocean. As seen in the east-looking view, today's Great Salt Lake is bounded to the east by the rugged Wasatch Range (upper portion of the image). To the west, is the Great Salt Lake Desert (bottom center of the image) once the lake bottom of the former Lake Bonneville. The Great Salt Lake is divided by an east to west railroad causeway.
ISS003-E-6152	Green Aurora Seen from the Space Station: As geomagnetic storms cause beautiful displays of aurora across the United States, astronauts onboard the International Space Station also have the opportunity to take a look. Green colors of the aurora are dominant in this image captured by a digital still camera on October 4, 2001. Auroras are caused when high-energy electrons pour down from the Earth’s magnetosphere and collide with atoms. Green aurora occurs from about 100 km to 250 km altitude and is caused by the emission of 5577 Angstrom wavelength light from oxygen atoms. The light is emitted when the atoms return to their original unexcited state. At times of peaks in solar activity, there are more geomagnetic storms and this increases the auroral activity viewed on Earth and by astronauts from orbit. By using a digital camera with a long exposure time, astronauts can capture a part of the light from the multicolored displays they observe, and downlink those images to Earth.
ISS003-E-7553	Hurricane Michelle: Pictured near Earth's horizon, Hurricane Michelle made landfall on Cuba on November 4, 2001, with sustained winds of 135 miles per hour. The most signficant impact was in the Matanzas province near Pinar del Rio. This scene was captured by one of the Expedition Three crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) using a digital still camera.
ISS003-E-7559	Hurricane Michelle: Pictured near Earth's horizon, Hurricane Michelle made landfall on Cuba a few hours later on November 4, 2001, with sustained winds of 135 miles per hour. The eye can be seen in the upper right quadrant of this oblique view. The most signficant impact was in the Matanzas province near Pinar del Rio. This scene was captured by one of the Expedition Three crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) using a digital still camera.
ISS003-E-6061	Brüggen Glacier, Chile: The Expedition 3 crew of the International Space Station caught a rare glimpse of the massive ice fields and glaciers of Patagonia early in the afternoon on September 25, 2001. This part of the South American coast sees frequent storms and is often obscured from view by cloud cover. Brüggen Glacier in southern Chile is the largest western outflow from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and, unlike most glaciers worldwide, advanced significantly since 1945. From 1945 to 1976, Brüggen surged 5 km across the Eyre Fjord, reaching the western shore by 1962 and cutting off Lake Greve from the sea. The glacier continued advancing both northward and southward in the fjord to near its present position before stabilizing. The growth covers a distance of more than 10 km north to south, adding nearly 60 square km of ice.
ISS003-E-6816	Red Aurora as Seen from the Space Station: Red colors of the aurora are dominant in this image captured by a digital still camera in mid September 2001. Auroras are caused when high-energy electrons pour down from the Earth’s magnetosphere and collide with atoms. Red aurora occurs from 200 km to as high as 500 km altitude and is caused by the emission of 6300 Angstrom wavelength light from oxygen atoms. The light is emitted when the atoms return to their original unexcited state. The white spot in the image is from a light on the inside of the Station that is reflected off the inside of the window. The pale blue arch on the left side of the frame is sunlight reflecting of the atmospheric limb of the Earth. At times of peaks in solar activity, there are more geomagnetic storms and this increases the auroral activity viewed on Earth and by astronauts from orbit. By using a digital camera with a long exposure time, astronauts can capture a part of the light from the multicolored displays they observe, and downlink those images to Earth.

This service is provided by the International Space Station program and the JSC Astromaterials Research & Exploration Science Directorate. Recommended Citation: Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center. "The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth." .
	NASA Responsible Official: Susan Runco Curator: jsc-earthweb@mail.nasa.gov Contributors: Earth Sciences Web Team	National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center	International Space Station National Laboratory Last Update:
Server: 1