ISS016-E-30127
| NASA Photo ID | ISS016-E-30127 |
| Focal Length | 800mm |
| Date taken | 2008.02.17 |
| Time taken | 14:44:00 GMT |
Resolutions offered for this image:
1000 x 736 pixels 540 x 397 pixels 540 x 405 pixels 3032 x 2008 pixels 639 x 423 pixels
1000 x 736 pixels 540 x 397 pixels 540 x 405 pixels 3032 x 2008 pixels 639 x 423 pixels
Cloud masks available for this image:
Spacecraft nadir point: 51.2° N, 11.5° E
Photo center point: 49.9° N, 7.0° E
Photo center point by machine learning:
Photo center point: 49.9° N, 7.0° E
Photo center point by machine learning:
Nadir to Photo Center: West
Spacecraft Altitude: 176 nautical miles (326km)
Country or Geographic Name: | GERMANY |
Features: | MOSEL RIVER VALLEY, VINEYARDS |
| Features Found Using Machine Learning: | |
Cloud Cover Percentage: | 10 (1-10)% |
Sun Elevation Angle: | 14° |
Sun Azimuth: | 230° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 pixels | 736 pixels | No | Yes | Earth From Space collection | Download Image |
| 540 pixels | 397 pixels | Yes | Yes | Earth From Space collection | Download Image |
| 540 pixels | 405 pixels | Yes | Yes | NASA's Earth Observatory web site | Download Image |
| 3032 pixels | 2008 pixels | No | No | Download Image | |
| 639 pixels | 423 pixels | No | No | Download Image |
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Image Caption: Moselle River Gorge, Germany
The Moselle (Mosel in German) is the best known of the 13 German wine-growing regions. The beautiful scenery of this part of the Moselle makes it a popular tourist destination. The white Riesling grape produces some of the best wines in this cool region of northern Europe. Riesling vines represent almost 60% of the vineyards in the Middle Moselle Valley shown here.
This detailed image (width covers a distance of 14.5 kilometers, or about 9 miles) shows the winding Moselle River flowing north (left to right). The river has cut a gorge more than 300 meters (984 feet) deep into a relatively flat plateau. The plateau is covered mainly in dark green forests, with some large agricultural fields. Because this is one of the coolest places in Europe where grape vines grow, the warmer microclimates that occur in the valleys below the exposed and higher plateau are key to growing vines.
Within the narrow and very steep valley, those slopes which face south and west are best for grapes. The north-facing slopes not only receive less direct sunshine, but the deep shadows of the canyon walls fall on them sooner in the day. These shadows are visible on the canyon wall opposite Kroev and elsewhere, where they make the river difficult to see. The vine-covered slopes, with very small plot sizes, appear as light grays and light greens along most of the gorge slopes. In this view, slopes around the villages of Kroev, Kuess, and Maring enjoy the best south-facing aspect.
Available sunlight is so limited here that even the reflected light from the river surface is known to help the vines, an effect that also favors south-facing slopes. The landscape character has also affected wine prices. Less-favorable slopes have been planted with hardier grapes of lower quality. This in turn has sometimes reduced prices somewhat for all Moselle wines.
Many slopes are so steep that the grapes cannot be harvested mechanically, which makes these vines very labor intensive and potentially hazardous for workers. The village of Bremm just outside the picture at top right, has the steepest documented vineyard in the world, with vines growing on a 65-degree slope.
The Moselle (Mosel in German) is the best known of the 13 German wine-growing regions. The beautiful scenery of this part of the Moselle makes it a popular tourist destination. The white Riesling grape produces some of the best wines in this cool region of northern Europe. Riesling vines represent almost 60% of the vineyards in the Middle Moselle Valley shown here.
This detailed image (width covers a distance of 14.5 kilometers, or about 9 miles) shows the winding Moselle River flowing north (left to right). The river has cut a gorge more than 300 meters (984 feet) deep into a relatively flat plateau. The plateau is covered mainly in dark green forests, with some large agricultural fields. Because this is one of the coolest places in Europe where grape vines grow, the warmer microclimates that occur in the valleys below the exposed and higher plateau are key to growing vines.
Within the narrow and very steep valley, those slopes which face south and west are best for grapes. The north-facing slopes not only receive less direct sunshine, but the deep shadows of the canyon walls fall on them sooner in the day. These shadows are visible on the canyon wall opposite Kroev and elsewhere, where they make the river difficult to see. The vine-covered slopes, with very small plot sizes, appear as light grays and light greens along most of the gorge slopes. In this view, slopes around the villages of Kroev, Kuess, and Maring enjoy the best south-facing aspect.
Available sunlight is so limited here that even the reflected light from the river surface is known to help the vines, an effect that also favors south-facing slopes. The landscape character has also affected wine prices. Less-favorable slopes have been planted with hardier grapes of lower quality. This in turn has sometimes reduced prices somewhat for all Moselle wines.
Many slopes are so steep that the grapes cannot be harvested mechanically, which makes these vines very labor intensive and potentially hazardous for workers. The village of Bremm just outside the picture at top right, has the steepest documented vineyard in the world, with vines growing on a 65-degree slope.
