ISS062-E-39375

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NASA Photo ID

ISS062-E-39375

Focal Length

400mm

Date taken

2020.02.19

Time taken

13:13:10 GMT

Resolutions offered for this image:
720 x 480 pixels 5568 x 3712 pixels 640 x 427 pixels

Cloud masks available for this image:
Binary Heatmap

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Image Details
Camera Information
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Spacecraft nadir point: 6.3° N, 43.3° E

Photo center point: 2.1° N, 45.3° E

Photo center point by machine learning: 2.07° N, 45.28° E

Nadir to Photo Center: South

Spacecraft Altitude: 227 nautical miles (420km)

View an image on a map for this photo that has been georeferenced using machine learning.

Country or Geographic Name:

SOMALIA

Features:

MOGADISHU

Features Found Using Machine Learning:

Cloud Cover Percentage:

10 (1-10)%

Sun Elevation Angle:

30°

Sun Azimuth:

253°

Camera:

Nikon D5 Electronic Still Camera

Focal Length:

400mm

Camera Tilt:

51 degrees

Format:

5568E: 5568 x 3712 pixel CMOS sensor, 35.9 x 23.9 mm, total pixels: 21.33 million, Nikon FX format

Film Exposure:

Additional Information

Width	Height	Annotated	Cropped	Purpose	Links
720 pixels	480 pixels	Yes	Yes	NASA's Earth Observatory web site	Download Image
5568 pixels	3712 pixels	No	No		Download Image
640 pixels	427 pixels	No	No		Download Image

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Image Caption: Mogadishu, Somalia

As the International Space Station (ISS) was passing over the Horn of Africa, an astronaut shot this photograph of Somalia's capital city, Mogadishu. This historic port on the coast of the Indian Ocean is home to more than 2 million people.

Just inland from the coast, sand dunes flank the urban area. Prevailing winds from the east-northeast shape the dunes into ridges perpendicular to the wind direction. Geologists call these "transverse dunes." The red and orange colors in the dune fields are due to natural chemical and weathering processes (//www.dst.uniroma1.it/geologicaromana/Volumi/VOL%2031/GR_31_249_263_Angelucci%20et%20al.pdf) that left behind traces of iron in the sandy minerals. These dunes stand in contrast to the lightly-colored, calcium carbonate-rich sands near the shore.

Further inland, rectangular agricultural fields are visible near the town of Afgoye. A small segment of the vital Shebelle River is visible running through the farmland and town. The Shebelle starts in Ethiopia's highlands and trends south towards the Jubba River (far outside this photo to the right).