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			Photo #: ISS031-E-35310 Date: May 2012 Geographic Region: PACIFIC OCEAN Feature: CLOUDS, SUNGLINT, PACIFIC OCEAN



	Sunglint and Clouds off Western South America Note: This caption refers to the image versions labeled "NASA's Earth Observatory web site". The setting sun highlights cloud patterns above the Pacific Ocean, as well as the ocean surface itself in this impressive image taken by an astronaut on board the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS was located over the Andes Mountains of central Chile at the time. The view is looking towards the Pacific Ocean and the Sun setting in the west (towards image upper right). Light from the setting Sun reflects off the water surface towards the observer on the ISS and creates a mirror-like appearance--a phenomenon known as sunglint. Bands of relatively low altitude cumulus clouds appear much like a flotilla of ships with their west-facing sides illuminated by the waning sunlight and the rest in shadow (image center). Due to the low Sun angle, they cast long and deep shadows over large swaths of the ocean surface. Given the short camera lens used, an individual cloud shadow may extend for miles. Light gray clouds at image lower left appear to be at a higher altitude. The cloud cover is likely a remnant of a frontal system that moved inland over South America from the Pacific a day or two prior to the time the image was taken.

Images:	All Available Images Low-Resolution 282k
Mission:	ISS031
Roll - Frame:	E - 35310
Geographical Name:	PACIFIC OCEAN
Features:	CLOUDS, SUNGLINT, PACIFIC OCEAN
Center Lat x Lon:	N x E
Film Exposure:		N=Normal exposure, U=Under exposed, O=Over exposed, F=out of Focus
Percentage of Cloud Cover-CLDP:	100
Camera:	N2
Camera Tilt:	HO	LO=Low Oblique, HO=High Oblique, NV=Near Vertical
Camera Focal Length:	180
Nadir to Photo Center Direction:		The direction from the nadir to the center point, N=North, S=South, E=East, W=West
Stereo?:		Y=Yes there is an adjacent picture of the same area, N=No there isn't
Orbit Number:
Date:	20120515	YYYYMMDD
Time:	221858	GMT HHMMSS
Nadir Lat:	35.6S	Latitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Nadir Lon:	70.7W	Longitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Sun Azimuth:	289	Clockwise angle in degrees from north to the sun measured at the nadir point
Space Craft Altitude:	218	nautical miles
Sun Elevation:	-7	Angle in degrees between the horizon and the sun, measured at the nadir point
Land Views:
Water Views:	OCEAN, SUNGLINT
Atmosphere Views:
Man Made Views:
City Views:

Photo is not associated with any sequences

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