< ISS028-E-18562 >
| NASA Photo ID | ISS028-E-18562 |
| Focal Length | 48mm |
| Date taken | 2011.07.22 |
| Time taken | 10:52:26 GMT |
Resolutions offered for this image:
1000 x 665 pixels 540 x 359 pixels 720 x 480 pixels 4256 x 2832 pixels 640 x 426 pixels
1000 x 665 pixels 540 x 359 pixels 720 x 480 pixels 4256 x 2832 pixels 640 x 426 pixels
Spacecraft nadir point: 33.9° N, 28.4° E
Photo center point: 35.0° N, 25.0° E
Photo center point by machine learning:
Photo center point: 35.0° N, 25.0° E
Photo center point by machine learning:
Nadir to Photo Center: West
Spacecraft Altitude: 210 nautical miles (389km)
Country or Geographic Name: | CRETE |
Features: | SUNGLINT, GAVDOS ISLAND, DIA ISLAND, HERAKLION |
| Features Found Using Machine Learning: | ISTANBUL |
Cloud Cover Percentage: | 10 (1-10)% |
Sun Elevation Angle: | 74° |
Sun Azimuth: | 216° |
Camera: | Nikon D3S Electronic Still Camera |
Focal Length: | 48mm |
Camera Tilt: | 46 degrees |
Format: | 4256E: 4256 x 2832 pixel CMOS sensor, 36.0mm x 23.9mm, total pixels: 12.87 million, Nikon FX format |
Film Exposure: | |
| Additional Information | |
| Width | Height | Annotated | Cropped | Purpose | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 pixels | 665 pixels | No | Yes | Earth From Space collection | Download Image |
| 540 pixels | 359 pixels | Yes | Yes | Earth From Space collection | Download Image |
| 720 pixels | 480 pixels | Yes | Yes | NASA's Earth Observatory web site | Download Image |
| 4256 pixels | 2832 pixels | No | No | Download Image | |
| 640 pixels | 426 pixels | No | No | Download Image |
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No GeoTIFF is available for this photo.Image Caption: Island of Crete, Greece
Note: This caption refers to the image versions labeled "NASA's Earth Observatory web site".
In classical Greek mythology the island of Crete was home to King Minos and the terrible Minotaur, a beast that was half man and half bull. The known historical record of Crete is no less impressive. The island was the center of the Bronze Age Minoan civilization that flourished from approximately 2700 - 1420 BC. There is archeological, geological, and cultural evidence to suggest that a cataclysmic volcanic eruption in approximately 1620 BC of Santorini volcano was a major cause of the decline - if not complete destruction - of the Minoan civilization.
Today, Crete is the largest and most heavily populated island of Greece (or the Hellenic Republic). The island extends for approximately 260 km and is approximately 60 km across at its widest point. The terrain of Crete is rugged and includes mountains, plateaus, and several deep gorges. The largest city on the island, Heraklion, is located along the northern coastline (image center). Several smaller islands ring Crete; two of the largest of these, Dia and Gavdos are sparsely populated year-round, although Gavdos hosts numerous summer visitors.
The western and central parts of Crete appear surrounded by quicksilver in this astronaut photograph taken from the International Space Station. This phenomenon is known as sunglint, caused by light reflecting off of the sea surface directly toward the observer. The point of maximum reflectance is visible as a bright white region to the northwest of the island (image upper left). Surface currents causing variations in the degree of reflectance are visible near the southwestern shoreline of Crete and the smaller island of Gavdos (image lower left).
Note: This caption refers to the image versions labeled "NASA's Earth Observatory web site".
In classical Greek mythology the island of Crete was home to King Minos and the terrible Minotaur, a beast that was half man and half bull. The known historical record of Crete is no less impressive. The island was the center of the Bronze Age Minoan civilization that flourished from approximately 2700 - 1420 BC. There is archeological, geological, and cultural evidence to suggest that a cataclysmic volcanic eruption in approximately 1620 BC of Santorini volcano was a major cause of the decline - if not complete destruction - of the Minoan civilization.
Today, Crete is the largest and most heavily populated island of Greece (or the Hellenic Republic). The island extends for approximately 260 km and is approximately 60 km across at its widest point. The terrain of Crete is rugged and includes mountains, plateaus, and several deep gorges. The largest city on the island, Heraklion, is located along the northern coastline (image center). Several smaller islands ring Crete; two of the largest of these, Dia and Gavdos are sparsely populated year-round, although Gavdos hosts numerous summer visitors.
The western and central parts of Crete appear surrounded by quicksilver in this astronaut photograph taken from the International Space Station. This phenomenon is known as sunglint, caused by light reflecting off of the sea surface directly toward the observer. The point of maximum reflectance is visible as a bright white region to the northwest of the island (image upper left). Surface currents causing variations in the degree of reflectance are visible near the southwestern shoreline of Crete and the smaller island of Gavdos (image lower left).
