ISS034-E-5935
| NASA Photo ID | ISS034-E-5935 |
| Focal Length | 180mm |
| Date taken | 2012.12.08 |
| Time taken | 21:39:11 GMT |
Resolutions offered for this image:
1000 x 665 pixels 540 x 359 pixels 1440 x 960 pixels 720 x 480 pixels 4256 x 2832 pixels 640 x 426 pixels
1000 x 665 pixels 540 x 359 pixels 1440 x 960 pixels 720 x 480 pixels 4256 x 2832 pixels 640 x 426 pixels
Cloud masks available for this image:
Spacecraft nadir point: 51.2° N, 8.6° E
Photo center point: 50.6° N, 5.8° E
Photo center point by machine learning: 50.57° N, 5.75° E
Photo center point: 50.6° N, 5.8° E
Photo center point by machine learning: 50.57° N, 5.75° E
Nadir to Photo Center: West
Spacecraft Altitude: 215 nautical miles (398km)
Country or Geographic Name: | BELGIUM |
Features: | ESA NIGHTPOD - LIEGE-AACHEN-VERNIERS AREA AT NIGHT |
| Features Found Using Machine Learning: | |
Cloud Cover Percentage: | 0 (no clouds present) |
Sun Elevation Angle: | -56° |
Sun Azimuth: | 317° |
Camera: | Nikon D3S Electronic Still Camera |
Focal Length: | 180mm |
Camera Tilt: | 39 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 |
| 1440 pixels | 960 pixels | No | Yes | NASA's Earth Observatory web site | 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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Image Caption: Liege, Belgium at Night
Note: This caption refers to the image versions labeled "NASA's Earth Observatory web site".
To paraphrase the old expression, "all roads lead to Liege" - or at least one could get that impression from this night time astronaut photograph taken from the International Space Station (ISS). The brightly lit core of the Liege urban area appears to lie at the center of a network of roadways--traceable by continuous orange lighting--extending outwards into the rural, and relatively dark, Belgium countryside. For a sense of scale the distance from image left to image right is approximately 70 kilometers. The region at image lower right to the southeast of Verviers includes agricultural fields and forest; hence it appears almost uniformly dark at night.
The image was taken using the European Space Agency's Nodding mechanism, also known as the NightPod. NightPod is an electro-mechanical mount system designed to compensate digital cameras for the motion of the ISS relative to the Earth. The primary mission goal was to take high-resolution, long exposure digital imagery of the Earth from the ISS Cupola, particularly cities at night. While the official NightPod mission has been completed, the mechanism remains on board for astronauts to use.
Liege is the third most populous metropolitan region in Belgium (after Brussels and Antwerp); it includes 52 municipalities, including the nearby city of Seraing. It is also an important economic center for the country, including a diverse array of industries including (among others) mechanical, information and biotechnology, beer and chocolate, light armaments, and steel-making. The metropolitan area also boasts a wide array of cultural, historical, and artistic attractions making it a popular destination among the neighboring countries of France, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Note: This caption refers to the image versions labeled "NASA's Earth Observatory web site".
To paraphrase the old expression, "all roads lead to Liege" - or at least one could get that impression from this night time astronaut photograph taken from the International Space Station (ISS). The brightly lit core of the Liege urban area appears to lie at the center of a network of roadways--traceable by continuous orange lighting--extending outwards into the rural, and relatively dark, Belgium countryside. For a sense of scale the distance from image left to image right is approximately 70 kilometers. The region at image lower right to the southeast of Verviers includes agricultural fields and forest; hence it appears almost uniformly dark at night.
The image was taken using the European Space Agency's Nodding mechanism, also known as the NightPod. NightPod is an electro-mechanical mount system designed to compensate digital cameras for the motion of the ISS relative to the Earth. The primary mission goal was to take high-resolution, long exposure digital imagery of the Earth from the ISS Cupola, particularly cities at night. While the official NightPod mission has been completed, the mechanism remains on board for astronauts to use.
Liege is the third most populous metropolitan region in Belgium (after Brussels and Antwerp); it includes 52 municipalities, including the nearby city of Seraing. It is also an important economic center for the country, including a diverse array of industries including (among others) mechanical, information and biotechnology, beer and chocolate, light armaments, and steel-making. The metropolitan area also boasts a wide array of cultural, historical, and artistic attractions making it a popular destination among the neighboring countries of France, Germany, and the Netherlands.
