< ISS023-E-32398 >
| NASA Photo ID | ISS023-E-32398 |
| Focal Length | 160mm |
| Date taken | 2010.05.04 |
| Time taken | 22:33:23 GMT |
Country or Geographic Name: | |
Features: | |
| Features Found Using Machine Learning: | |
Cloud Cover Percentage: | 4 (1-10)% |
Sun Elevation Angle: | 18° |
Sun Azimuth: | 279° |
Camera: | NIKON D3S S/N: 2007934 |
Focal Length: | 160mm |
Camera Tilt: | |
Format: | |
Film Exposure: | |
| Additional Information | |
| Width | Height | Annotated | Cropped | Purpose | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4256 pixels | 2913 pixels | No | No | Download Image | |
| 640 pixels | 438 pixels | No | No | Download Image |
Download Packaged File
Download a Google Earth KML for this Image
View photo footprint information
No GeoTIFF is available for this photo.Image Caption: ISS023-E-032398 (4 May 2010) --- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi, Expedition 23 flight engineer, photographed the Mississippi Delta showing the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico on May 4, 2010. Part of the river delta and nearby Louisiana coast appear dark in the sunglint. This phenomenon is caused by sunlight reflecting off the water surface, in a mirror-like manner, directly back towards the astronaut observer onboard the International Space Station (ISS). The sunglint improves the identification of the oil spill which is creating a different water texture (and therefore a contrast) between the smooth and rougher water of the reflective ocean surface. Other features which cause a change in surface roughness that can be seen in sunglint are wind gusts, naturally occurring oils that will be gathered by and take the form of water currents or wave patterns, and less windy areas behind islands.

