Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Photographic Highlights

STS-104 Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Photographic Highlights

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STS104-327-1 Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania:In this 70-mm Hasselblad photograph the extensive summit area of Mt. Kilimanjaro appears to be an island that is surrounded by a sea of clouds. Located in northeast Tanzania adjacent to the Kenya border, Mt. Kilimanjaro at 5895 meters (19340 feet) above sea level is the tallest and most famous mountain peak in Africa. Three distinct volcanoes make up the massive summit area. The overlapping lava flows from these volcanoes have produced a single, complex volcanic structure. The permanent glacier and snowfield at the top of Kibo (center volcano), the highest of the three peaks, is visible in the center of the image. Recent decades have seen the areal extent of the snow and ice fields diminish in size at the summit of Kibo. Mt. Kilimanjaro is one of only three tall mountain peaks where glaciers can be found within a few degrees of the equator.

STS104-328-18 Mt. Etna, Sicily:This view of northeast Sicily shows two distinct atmospheric plumes being blown in a southeasterly direction during the summer 2001 eruption of Mt. Etna. The darker looking airborne plume is mainly an ash cloud that is being produced from an eruptive fissure along the southern flank of the volcano. The lighter colored plume is smoke that is coming from the cluster of vents located at the summit area of the volcano. The sizeable roughly circular base of the volcano is extensive, exceeding 60 kilometers (37 miles). The southwest view of the image shows the relationship of erupting Mt. Etna with the rolling fertile farmlands to the south and the mountains north of the volcano. The Peloritani Mountains of northeast Sicily present a rugged topographic landscape.

STS104-704-78 Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, Hawaii:The Big Island of Hawaii is almost completely enshrouded by clouds at the lower coastal elevations while the tall volcanoes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa are visible above the clouds in this east-looking view. The Hawaiian Islands began to form over 30 million years ago as the Pacific Plate moved northwest over a stationary "hot spot". Formation of the Big Island of Hawaii began over 1 million years ago. Mauna Kea, now an extinct shield volcano (upper left of center of the image), rises to 13796 feet (4260 meters). It is the world’s tallest mountain from its base on the ocean floor to its summit and measures 31796 feet (9698 meters). Mauna Loa (center of the image) with its numerous dark looking lava flows descending from its summit in all directions, is the world’s tallest active volcano at 13677 feet (4170 meters). A shield volcano, Mauna Loa is the most massive mountain on earth measuring 10000 cubic miles (41700 cubic km), more than 100 times the size of Mount Rainier in Washington state. Mauna Loa has erupted 37 times since 1832, the last in 1984.

STS104-706-AF Shanghai, Yangtze River Mouth, China:Shanghai (grayish area near the bottom center of the image) and the mouth of the Yangtze (Chang) River (right side of the image) are visible in this near-vertical view. North is towards the upper right of the scene. The silt-laden Yangtze is the longest river Asia. The larger island of Chongming and the two smaller islands of Changxing and Heng are discernible along the right center and bottom right of the image. Shanghai is the largest city in China (population over 12.5 million) and the most populous city in Asia. The major part of the city sits on the west bank of the Huangpu River, which flows northward into the Yangtze River. Numerous small lakes and flooded rice fields can be seen in sun glint in the upper left of the image.

STS104-710-61 Gulf of Napoli and Vesuvius Volcano, Italy:This broad view of the west coast of Italy includes diverse landscapes of rugged mountains, scenic coasts, and historical cities. Three separate gulfs that are extensions of the Tyrrhenian Sea are visible in this northeast-looking view; from northwest to southeast these gulfs are Gaeta, Napoli, and Salerno. Historically, this section of the Italian coast has had frequent and violent volcanic activity. Vesuvius Volcano (lower center, adjacent to the Gulf of Napoli) is prominent, and two other sizeable volcanic structures consisting of complex craters, old calderas, and cinder cones extend from just west of Napoli (Phlegraean Fields) to another area south of the city of Cassino (Roccamonfina). Even the larger offshore island of Ischia is volcanic in origin. The rugged looking, mountainous region toward the interior of the country is part of the Appennini Mountains that form the spine of the Italian peninsula.

STS104-710-95 Panoramic View of Northeast Egypt:This oblique, northwest-looking view shows the northern half of Egypt. Blue waters of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Suez, and the eastern Mediterranean Sea contrast with the lighter colors of the desert terrain of Egypt. In contrast with the brown and tan landscape, the thin, dark corridor of the irrigated floodplain of the Nile River extends north-south through the desert. It is estimated that approximately 90 percent of Egypt’s human population resides along the Nile River floodplain and in the delta area. Mountainous areas border the Red Sea along the east coast of Egypt and the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, and also appear dark compared to the desert. Elevations of these mountains vary from 610 meters (2000 feet) to 910 meters (3000 feet) with many peaks and ridgelines exceeding 1800 meters (6000 feet). Several small, isolated clouds can also be seen in the picture, with the largest cloud deck over the Nile River delta.

STS104-711-42 New York City Area: The largest city in the United States, and one of the largest cities in the world, New York City and its metropolitan area can be seen in this north-looking view. The city is located on New York Bay at the mouth of the Hudson River. The bay is divided into Upper (north) and Lower Bays (south), which is connected by the Narrows, a strait 3 miles (5 km) long and 1 mile (1.6 km) wide. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (discernible near the center of the image) spans the strait. Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook are visible near the bottom center of the image.

STS104-717-96 Betsiboka Estuary, Madagascar:During the 20th Century Madagascar, the world’s fourth largest island, experienced a tremendous reversal in the quantity of vegetative cover throughout the entire island. From an estimated 80 to 90 percent vegetation cover in 1900 to less than an estimated 10 percent by the year 2000, the rate of deforestation has been dramatic. This image, along with many other space-acquired images, documents the massive annual soil losses that have occurred during the last 30 years. Note the orange-brown sediment that is almost always being transported by the Betsiboka River and being deposited in the delta region. The sequence of images astronauts have taken over time, shows the sediment accumulating and forming islands in the estuary mouth.

STS104-720-7 Cape Cod, Massachusetts:The sandy peninsula of Cape Cod can be seen in this west-looking view. The view is oblique enough that there is some spatial distortion and foreshortening. Cape Cod is 65 miles (105 km) long and varies in width from 1 to 20 miles (1.6 to 32 km). A major recreational area, much of Cape Cod is part of the United States National Park system. West of the peninsula of Cape Cod is Cape Cod Bay. To the south, the islands of Martha’s Vineyard (larger island) and Nantucket are visible. Near the upper center of the image, eastern Long Island can be seen.

STS104-726-27 Istanbul, Bosporus, Turkey:Located at the south end of the Bosporus on the Sea of Marmara (Sea of Marble), the city of Istanbul is seen in regional context in this northward-looking view. The world famous Bosporus, a strait that separates European Turkey to the west (left) and Asian Turkey to the east (right), is 20 miles (32 km) long and is 2100 feet (640 meters) at its narrowest point. The Bosporus connects the Black Sea (upper right) with the Sea of Marmara (bottom of the image). Two bridges (thin white lines) cross the Bosporus and are discernible on the image. The Bosporus Bridge, which opened in 1973, is one of the world’s longest suspension bridges measuring 3524 feet (1075 meters) long, and spans the Bosporus from Istanbul into Asia.

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

NASA Responsible Official: Tracy Calhoun

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Contributors: Earth Sciences Web Team

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

International Space Station National Laboratory

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STS104-327-1	Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania:In this 70-mm Hasselblad photograph the extensive summit area of Mt. Kilimanjaro appears to be an island that is surrounded by a sea of clouds. Located in northeast Tanzania adjacent to the Kenya border, Mt. Kilimanjaro at 5895 meters (19340 feet) above sea level is the tallest and most famous mountain peak in Africa. Three distinct volcanoes make up the massive summit area. The overlapping lava flows from these volcanoes have produced a single, complex volcanic structure. The permanent glacier and snowfield at the top of Kibo (center volcano), the highest of the three peaks, is visible in the center of the image. Recent decades have seen the areal extent of the snow and ice fields diminish in size at the summit of Kibo. Mt. Kilimanjaro is one of only three tall mountain peaks where glaciers can be found within a few degrees of the equator.
STS104-328-18	Mt. Etna, Sicily:This view of northeast Sicily shows two distinct atmospheric plumes being blown in a southeasterly direction during the summer 2001 eruption of Mt. Etna. The darker looking airborne plume is mainly an ash cloud that is being produced from an eruptive fissure along the southern flank of the volcano. The lighter colored plume is smoke that is coming from the cluster of vents located at the summit area of the volcano. The sizeable roughly circular base of the volcano is extensive, exceeding 60 kilometers (37 miles). The southwest view of the image shows the relationship of erupting Mt. Etna with the rolling fertile farmlands to the south and the mountains north of the volcano. The Peloritani Mountains of northeast Sicily present a rugged topographic landscape.
STS104-704-78	Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, Hawaii:The Big Island of Hawaii is almost completely enshrouded by clouds at the lower coastal elevations while the tall volcanoes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa are visible above the clouds in this east-looking view. The Hawaiian Islands began to form over 30 million years ago as the Pacific Plate moved northwest over a stationary "hot spot". Formation of the Big Island of Hawaii began over 1 million years ago. Mauna Kea, now an extinct shield volcano (upper left of center of the image), rises to 13796 feet (4260 meters). It is the world’s tallest mountain from its base on the ocean floor to its summit and measures 31796 feet (9698 meters). Mauna Loa (center of the image) with its numerous dark looking lava flows descending from its summit in all directions, is the world’s tallest active volcano at 13677 feet (4170 meters). A shield volcano, Mauna Loa is the most massive mountain on earth measuring 10000 cubic miles (41700 cubic km), more than 100 times the size of Mount Rainier in Washington state. Mauna Loa has erupted 37 times since 1832, the last in 1984.
STS104-706-AF	Shanghai, Yangtze River Mouth, China:Shanghai (grayish area near the bottom center of the image) and the mouth of the Yangtze (Chang) River (right side of the image) are visible in this near-vertical view. North is towards the upper right of the scene. The silt-laden Yangtze is the longest river Asia. The larger island of Chongming and the two smaller islands of Changxing and Heng are discernible along the right center and bottom right of the image. Shanghai is the largest city in China (population over 12.5 million) and the most populous city in Asia. The major part of the city sits on the west bank of the Huangpu River, which flows northward into the Yangtze River. Numerous small lakes and flooded rice fields can be seen in sun glint in the upper left of the image.
STS104-710-61	Gulf of Napoli and Vesuvius Volcano, Italy:This broad view of the west coast of Italy includes diverse landscapes of rugged mountains, scenic coasts, and historical cities. Three separate gulfs that are extensions of the Tyrrhenian Sea are visible in this northeast-looking view; from northwest to southeast these gulfs are Gaeta, Napoli, and Salerno. Historically, this section of the Italian coast has had frequent and violent volcanic activity. Vesuvius Volcano (lower center, adjacent to the Gulf of Napoli) is prominent, and two other sizeable volcanic structures consisting of complex craters, old calderas, and cinder cones extend from just west of Napoli (Phlegraean Fields) to another area south of the city of Cassino (Roccamonfina). Even the larger offshore island of Ischia is volcanic in origin. The rugged looking, mountainous region toward the interior of the country is part of the Appennini Mountains that form the spine of the Italian peninsula.
STS104-710-95	Panoramic View of Northeast Egypt:This oblique, northwest-looking view shows the northern half of Egypt. Blue waters of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Suez, and the eastern Mediterranean Sea contrast with the lighter colors of the desert terrain of Egypt. In contrast with the brown and tan landscape, the thin, dark corridor of the irrigated floodplain of the Nile River extends north-south through the desert. It is estimated that approximately 90 percent of Egypt’s human population resides along the Nile River floodplain and in the delta area. Mountainous areas border the Red Sea along the east coast of Egypt and the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, and also appear dark compared to the desert. Elevations of these mountains vary from 610 meters (2000 feet) to 910 meters (3000 feet) with many peaks and ridgelines exceeding 1800 meters (6000 feet). Several small, isolated clouds can also be seen in the picture, with the largest cloud deck over the Nile River delta.
STS104-711-42	New York City Area: The largest city in the United States, and one of the largest cities in the world, New York City and its metropolitan area can be seen in this north-looking view. The city is located on New York Bay at the mouth of the Hudson River. The bay is divided into Upper (north) and Lower Bays (south), which is connected by the Narrows, a strait 3 miles (5 km) long and 1 mile (1.6 km) wide. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (discernible near the center of the image) spans the strait. Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook are visible near the bottom center of the image.
STS104-717-96	Betsiboka Estuary, Madagascar:During the 20th Century Madagascar, the world’s fourth largest island, experienced a tremendous reversal in the quantity of vegetative cover throughout the entire island. From an estimated 80 to 90 percent vegetation cover in 1900 to less than an estimated 10 percent by the year 2000, the rate of deforestation has been dramatic. This image, along with many other space-acquired images, documents the massive annual soil losses that have occurred during the last 30 years. Note the orange-brown sediment that is almost always being transported by the Betsiboka River and being deposited in the delta region. The sequence of images astronauts have taken over time, shows the sediment accumulating and forming islands in the estuary mouth.
STS104-720-7	Cape Cod, Massachusetts:The sandy peninsula of Cape Cod can be seen in this west-looking view. The view is oblique enough that there is some spatial distortion and foreshortening. Cape Cod is 65 miles (105 km) long and varies in width from 1 to 20 miles (1.6 to 32 km). A major recreational area, much of Cape Cod is part of the United States National Park system. West of the peninsula of Cape Cod is Cape Cod Bay. To the south, the islands of Martha’s Vineyard (larger island) and Nantucket are visible. Near the upper center of the image, eastern Long Island can be seen.
STS104-726-27	Istanbul, Bosporus, Turkey:Located at the south end of the Bosporus on the Sea of Marmara (Sea of Marble), the city of Istanbul is seen in regional context in this northward-looking view. The world famous Bosporus, a strait that separates European Turkey to the west (left) and Asian Turkey to the east (right), is 20 miles (32 km) long and is 2100 feet (640 meters) at its narrowest point. The Bosporus connects the Black Sea (upper right) with the Sea of Marmara (bottom of the image). Two bridges (thin white lines) cross the Bosporus and are discernible on the image. The Bosporus Bridge, which opened in 1973, is one of the world’s longest suspension bridges measuring 3524 feet (1075 meters) long, and spans the Bosporus from Istanbul into Asia.

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: Tracy Calhoun 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