Earth from Space - Image Description

STS056-153-053 Bonaparte Archipelago, Western Australia, Australia April 1993
The Bonaparte Archipelago stretches along the north coast of the Kimberley Plateau in Western Australia. This particular image extends from Vansittart Bay (small area of sunglint at bottom center) to Collier Bay (upper middle). The shallow coastal waters of the continental shelf are light blue in color and include reefs and shoals. The deeper waters of the Indian Ocean are dark blue in color. The colors of the land reflect differences in elevation and the associated vegetation. The darkest terrain is more elevated, usually more than 1000 feet (305 meters) above sea level.

This service is provided by the International Space Station program and the JSC Earth Science & Remote Sensing Unit, ARES Division, Exploration Integration Science Directorate.