Earth from Space - Image Description

STS058-088-082 Appalachian Mountains, Elkins, West Virginia October 1993
The fall foliage of the tree-covered Appalachian Mountains is visible in this southeast-looking view. The Appalachian Mountains are an eroded remnant of a great mountain mass that was formed by the collision of the North American and African continents millions of years ago. The mountains are heavily wooded and are covered with the most richly varied deciduous forest in North America. Fire scars from a previous forest fire appear as a dark blue or black area slightly above the center of the image. The city of Elkins, located near the left-center of the image, is situated on the Tygart River. Elkins is the center of a timber and mining region. The eastern portion of Tygart Lake can be seen near the bottom-center of the image.

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