ISS013-E-71473
| NASA Photo ID | ISS013-E-71473 |
| Focal Length | 800mm |
| Date taken | 2006.08.27 |
| Time taken | 19:31:10 GMT |
Resolutions offered for this image:
540 x 405 pixels 540 x 425 pixels 540 x 851 pixels 3032 x 2064 pixels 639 x 435 pixels
540 x 405 pixels 540 x 425 pixels 540 x 851 pixels 3032 x 2064 pixels 639 x 435 pixels
Cloud masks available for this image:
Spacecraft nadir point: 18.6° N, 74.9° W
Photo center point: 15.9° N, 78.7° W
Photo center point by machine learning:
Photo center point: 15.9° N, 78.7° W
Photo center point by machine learning:
Nadir to Photo Center: Southwest
Spacecraft Altitude: 186 nautical miles (344km)
Country or Geographic Name: | CARIBBEAN SEA |
Features: | BAJO NUEVO REEF, SURFACTANTS |
| Features Found Using Machine Learning: | |
Cloud Cover Percentage: | 10 (1-10)% |
Sun Elevation Angle: | 53° |
Sun Azimuth: | 262° |
Camera: | Kodak DCS760c Electronic Still Camera |
Focal Length: | 800mm |
Camera Tilt: | High Oblique |
Format: | 3060E: 3060 x 2036 pixel CCD, RGBG array |
Film Exposure: | |
| Additional Information | |
| Width | Height | Annotated | Cropped | Purpose | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 540 pixels | 405 pixels | Yes | Yes | Earth From Space collection | Download Image |
| 540 pixels | 425 pixels | Yes | Yes | NASA's Earth Observatory web site | Download Image |
| 540 pixels | 851 pixels | Yes | Yes | NASA's Earth Observatory web site | Download Image |
| 3032 pixels | 2064 pixels | No | No | Download Image | |
| 639 pixels | 435 pixels | No | No | Download Image |
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Image Caption: Wave Patterns Near Bajo Nuevo Reef, Caribbean Sea:
In these images captured by International Space Station astronauts on August 27, 2006, bright sunlight glinting off the western Caribbean Sea reveals intersecting wave patterns and oily surfactants on the surface waters around Bajo Nuevo Reef. Bajo Nuevo is a collection of small islets arranged into two U-shaped cays, low islands made of coral or sand. This pair of images (see also ISS013-E-71468) shows the easternmost of the two cays (also known as "keys") and surrounding waters.
This image shows a wide area of the sea around the cay, which encloses a lagoon. Within the lagoon, the water is calmer, and the submerged reef makes a bright blue outline on the downwind side of the islands. Surrounding the lagoon, silvery ocean swells from slightly different directions crisscross the surface. The swells are generally from the east, coming from the direction of the prevailing winds (generally right to left in this image).
The detailed view (see also ISS013-E-71468) reveals the small, low islands that fringe the upwind side of the lagoon. These islands seem dwarfed by wave swells, which almost appear to wash over them. Superimposed on the regular swell pattern are thin ribbons and zones of highly reflective surfactants, chemicals such as natural or synthetic oils that change the water's surface tension. The surfactants trace additional water dynamics around the edges of the reef, following swirling eddies. The dark, rod-shaped object near upper right is likely a ship that navigated into the reef's shoals. It appears to be trailing an oily substance, which makes an iridescent ribbon along the south side of the lagoon.
The very bright appearance of the Caribbean Sea in these images results from sunglint. Sunglint occurs when the Sun's light bounces off the ocean's surface and directly back into a satellite sensor's field of view or a camera's lens. While sunglint can create a washed-out appearance to the surface in some situations, it may also reveal details that aren't visible in other lighting conditions. For example, in many space-based images, the ocean surface appears as a flat, nearly featureless blue expanse.
In these images captured by International Space Station astronauts on August 27, 2006, bright sunlight glinting off the western Caribbean Sea reveals intersecting wave patterns and oily surfactants on the surface waters around Bajo Nuevo Reef. Bajo Nuevo is a collection of small islets arranged into two U-shaped cays, low islands made of coral or sand. This pair of images (see also ISS013-E-71468) shows the easternmost of the two cays (also known as "keys") and surrounding waters.
This image shows a wide area of the sea around the cay, which encloses a lagoon. Within the lagoon, the water is calmer, and the submerged reef makes a bright blue outline on the downwind side of the islands. Surrounding the lagoon, silvery ocean swells from slightly different directions crisscross the surface. The swells are generally from the east, coming from the direction of the prevailing winds (generally right to left in this image).
The detailed view (see also ISS013-E-71468) reveals the small, low islands that fringe the upwind side of the lagoon. These islands seem dwarfed by wave swells, which almost appear to wash over them. Superimposed on the regular swell pattern are thin ribbons and zones of highly reflective surfactants, chemicals such as natural or synthetic oils that change the water's surface tension. The surfactants trace additional water dynamics around the edges of the reef, following swirling eddies. The dark, rod-shaped object near upper right is likely a ship that navigated into the reef's shoals. It appears to be trailing an oily substance, which makes an iridescent ribbon along the south side of the lagoon.
The very bright appearance of the Caribbean Sea in these images results from sunglint. Sunglint occurs when the Sun's light bounces off the ocean's surface and directly back into a satellite sensor's field of view or a camera's lens. While sunglint can create a washed-out appearance to the surface in some situations, it may also reveal details that aren't visible in other lighting conditions. For example, in many space-based images, the ocean surface appears as a flat, nearly featureless blue expanse.
