< STS085-711-78 >
| NASA Photo ID | STS085-711-78 |
| Focal Length | 100mm |
| Date taken | 1997.08.12 |
| Time taken | 11:04:12 GMT |
Resolutions offered for this image:
4096 x 4096 pixels 640 x 640 pixels 5700 x 5900 pixels 483 x 500 pixels
4096 x 4096 pixels 640 x 640 pixels 5700 x 5900 pixels 483 x 500 pixels
Cloud masks available for this image:
Spacecraft nadir point: 49.6° N, 57.7° E
Photo center point: 45.0° N, 60.0° E
Photo center point by machine learning:
Photo center point: 45.0° N, 60.0° E
Photo center point by machine learning:
Nadir to Photo Center: South
Spacecraft Altitude: 157 nautical miles (291km)
Country or Geographic Name: | KAZAKHSTAN |
Features: | PAN-ARAL SEA |
| Features Found Using Machine Learning: | |
Cloud Cover Percentage: | 0 (no clouds present) |
Sun Elevation Angle: | 41° |
Sun Azimuth: | 240° |
Camera: | Hasselblad |
Focal Length: | 100mm |
Camera Tilt: | High Oblique |
Format: | 5069: Kodak Elite 100S, E6 Reversal, Replaces Lumiere, Warmer in tone vs. Lumiere |
Film Exposure: | Normal |
| Additional Information | |
| Width | Height | Annotated | Cropped | Purpose | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4096 pixels | 4096 pixels | No | No | Earth From Space collection | Download Image |
| 640 pixels | 640 pixels | No | No | Earth From Space collection | Download Image |
| 5700 pixels | 5900 pixels | No | No | Download Image Download Color Calibration Image for this Image |
|
| 483 pixels | 500 pixels | No | No | Download Image Download Color Calibration Image for this 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: STS085-711-078 Aral Sea, Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan August 1997
Once the world's fourth largest lake, the Aral Sea, now the world's eight largest lake, can be seen in this southeast-looking view. The Aral Sea sits in a basin surrounded by the arid Ustyurt Plateau to the west (bottom right), the Kara Sandy Desert to the south (upper right), the Kyzyl Sandy Desert to the east (center left and upper left), and the Aral Mangy Desert to the north (bottom left). Two rivers originally fed the Aral Sea, the Syr Darya from the east (left center) and the Amu Darya from the south (right center to upper right). The former Soviet Union began irrigating vast areas along both rivers in the early 1950's for cotton production. Hugh volumes of water were diverted causing the rivers to sometimes run dry by the time they reached the Aral Sea. Already situated in a semi-arid location, surface evaporation from the Aral Sea began to accelerate and the sea began to shrink. It is estimated that the Aral Sea lost over 40 percent of its surface area between 1960 and 1995. In some areas of the sea, the present shoreline lies 50 miles (81 km) or more from its former shores. The waters of the sea have increased in salinity and a large fishing industry has collapsed. Millions of people in the area are affected by the winds carrying salt, sand, and mineral particles from the former lakebed. The severe health hazards include high rates of throat cancer, eye disease, respiratory problems, and infant mortality. Though little can be done to save the Aral Sea, it could eventually shrink to a tenth of its former size. Scientists have stated that the Aral Sea problem is one of the five greatest environmental disasters of the Twentieth Century.
Once the world's fourth largest lake, the Aral Sea, now the world's eight largest lake, can be seen in this southeast-looking view. The Aral Sea sits in a basin surrounded by the arid Ustyurt Plateau to the west (bottom right), the Kara Sandy Desert to the south (upper right), the Kyzyl Sandy Desert to the east (center left and upper left), and the Aral Mangy Desert to the north (bottom left). Two rivers originally fed the Aral Sea, the Syr Darya from the east (left center) and the Amu Darya from the south (right center to upper right). The former Soviet Union began irrigating vast areas along both rivers in the early 1950's for cotton production. Hugh volumes of water were diverted causing the rivers to sometimes run dry by the time they reached the Aral Sea. Already situated in a semi-arid location, surface evaporation from the Aral Sea began to accelerate and the sea began to shrink. It is estimated that the Aral Sea lost over 40 percent of its surface area between 1960 and 1995. In some areas of the sea, the present shoreline lies 50 miles (81 km) or more from its former shores. The waters of the sea have increased in salinity and a large fishing industry has collapsed. Millions of people in the area are affected by the winds carrying salt, sand, and mineral particles from the former lakebed. The severe health hazards include high rates of throat cancer, eye disease, respiratory problems, and infant mortality. Though little can be done to save the Aral Sea, it could eventually shrink to a tenth of its former size. Scientists have stated that the Aral Sea problem is one of the five greatest environmental disasters of the Twentieth Century.
