Earth Observation from the International Space Station

Earth Observation

Earth observation taken by the Expedition 43 crew.

Earth Observation

STS047-20-015 (12-20 Sept. 1992) --- This 35mm frame represents one of the more spectacular views of Aurora Australis, photographed by the crew. The crew observed and photographed a great deal of auroral activity from the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Endeavour during the eight-day Spacelab-J mission.

STS-47 view of the Aurora Australis

Eastern Iowa, Northwestern Illinois

SL2-10-250 (May-June 1973) --- A vertical view of eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois, as photographed from Skylab space station in Earth orbit. Davenport, Burlington and Muscatine, Iowa; and Rock Island and Moline, Illinois can be delineated on opposite sides of the Mississippi River. The Iowa River and tributaries of it can also be delineated. This photograph was taken with one of six lenses of the Itek-furnished Multispectral Photographic Facility Experiment S190-A mounted in the Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA) of the space station. A six-inch lens, using 70mm medium speed Ektachrome (SO-356) film, was used. Agencies participating with NASA on the EREP project are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce and Interior; the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior's Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA

View - Northeast Oklahoma (OK) - Metropolitan Tulsa Area - OK

S73-35080 (July-September 1973) --- A vertical view of northeast Oklahoma and the metropolitan Tulsa area is seen in this Skylab 3 Earth Resources Experiments Package S190-B (five-inch Earth terrain camera) photograph taken from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. THE PICTURE SHOULD BE HELD WITH THE CLOCK ON THE LEFT AND THE LAKE IN THE CORNER ON THE RIGHT. THE LONG STRETCH OF HIGHWAY (U.S. 75) RUNS STRAIGHT NORTH FROM TULSA. Tulsa, a rapidly expanding city in the heart of the mid-continent oil field, has a population of approximately 330,000. The Arkansas River meanders across the southern (lower) portion of the photograph passing through Tulsa as it flows southeastward. Oologah Reservoir, the long body of water, is located northeast of Tulsa. Lake Hudson is the body of water in the right corner of the picture. Keystone Reservoir is to the west and upstream from Tulsa. Westward from Tulsa U.S. 64 makes a 45 degree bend as it turns northwest to cross the Keystone Reservoir. The thin white line over the Oologah Reservoir is a highway bridge. Bartlesville is on U.S. 75 near the north (top) corner of the picture. The Tulsa International Airport is immediately northeast of downtown Tulsa. Several smaller airfields are visible in the surrounding area. The toll roads and other major highways are clearly visible in the picture. Claremore is northeast of Tulsa on U.S. 66 with the Will Rogers Turnpike passing nearby. Sapulpa is southwest of Tulsa on the Turner Turnpike which leads toward Oklahoma City. The detailed information contained in this photograph can be extracted by direct observation and applied to updating land use and cultural maps of Tulsa and to numerous surrounding satellite cities. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. (Alternate number SL3-83-206) Photo credit: NASA

View - Caribbean Coast - Venezuela

S73-35079 (July-September 1973) --- A near vertical view of the Caribbean coast of Venezuela is seen in this Skylab 3 Earth Resources Experiment Package S190-B (five-inch Earth terrain camera) photograph taken from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. The large body of water is the Golfo de Venezuela; and the major land mass is the Peninsula de Paraguana. The view is looking northward from the mouth of the Golfete de Coro and Punta Cardon to Punta Macolla. The peninsula is connected to the Venezuelan mainland by the narrow strip of land in the most easterly corner of the picture. The dry, arid climate on the peninsula is indicated by sparse vegetation and the abundance of sand dunes. The highest point is about 2,700 feet above the sea and is the conspicuous black spot. Old raised shoreline features appear as streaks parallel to the Golfete de Coro. Sand dunes and stream erosion have modified these features. Water of the Golfete de Coro is red from the high sediment content. The streaks in the water off the peninsula is apparently an effect of wind which is blowing sand and water offshore. The EREP investigator Dr. Jose Antonio Galavis, of the Ministerio de Mines e Hidrocarburos, will use this information to map geology and coastal sedimentation in the Peninsula de Paraguana. Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP projects are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. (Alternate number SL3-83-237) Photo credit: NASA

Slylab (SL)-3 View - North Central Wyoming (WY) - Southern Montana (MT)

S73-35081 (July-September 1973) --- A view of approximately 3,600 square miles of north central Wyoming and southern Montana is seen in this Skylab 3 Earth Resources Experiments Package S190-B (five-inch Earth terrain camera) photograph taken from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. The Big Horn River following northward crosses between the northwest trending Big Horn Mountains and the Pryor Mountains. Yellowtail Reservoir, named after a former chief of the Crow Indian tribe in the center of the picture is impounded by a dam across the small rectangular crop area along the Big Horn River (upper right) and the strip farming (yellow) practiced on the rolling hill along the Big Horn River and its tributaries (upper left corner and right edge). The low sun angle enhances the structural features of the mountains as well as the drainage patterns in the adjacent basins. Rock formation appears in this color photograph as they would to the eye from this altitude. The distinctive redbeds can be traced along the front of the Pryor Mountains and indicate the folding that occurred during mountain building. EREP investigators, Dr. Houston of the University of Wyoming and Dr. Hoppin of the University of Iowa, will analyze the photograph and use the results in geological mapping and mineral resource studies. Lowell, Wyoming (lower left corner) and Hardin, Montana (upper right corner) can be recognized. Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP project are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. (Alternate number SL3-86-337) Photo credit: NASA

Skylab (SL)-3 - East Africa View - Ravaged by Drought

S73-35082 (July-Sept. 1973) --- A near vertical view of a portion of west Africa ravaged by drought for the past five years is seen in this Skylab 3 Earth Resources Experiments Package S190-B (five-inch Earth terrain camera) photograph taken from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. The semi-desert scene is in southeastern Niger about 200 nautical miles east-northeast of the capital city of Niamey. A polygonal-shaped area (dark) in the lower right corner of the picture represents a range-management ranch. The dry stream beds trending diagonally across the photograph locally contain some water or vegetation (green). The beds are sources of water through shallow drilling and contain soils suitable for production of crops. The variety of tans, browns and grays are typical desert colors that represent barren rocks and soil or sand-filled ancient stream valleys. Absence of vegetation is the singular feature of the area. Dr. G. Stuckmann of the Geographic Institute, University of Technology, Mannover, Federal Republic of Germany, will use this photograph in the study of the hydrologic regime of the region through analysis of fossil drainage patterns, geological structures and accumulations of surface water. Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP project are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. (Alternate number SL3-86-166) Photo credit: NASA

Earth Observations taken by Expedition 34 crewmember

ISS034-E-024622 (5 Jan. 2013) --- Polar mesospheric clouds over the South Pacific Ocean are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 34 crew member on the International Space Station. Polar mesospheric clouds—also known as noctilucent, or “night shining” clouds—are formed 76 to 85 kilometers above Earth’s surface near the mesosphere-thermosphere boundary of the atmosphere, a region known as the mesopause. At these altitudes, water vapor can freeze into clouds of ice crystals. When the sun is below the horizon such that the ground is in darkness, these high clouds may still be illuminated—lending them their ethereal, “night shining” qualities. Noctilucent clouds have been observed from all human vantage points in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres – from the surface, in aircraft, and in orbit from the space station—and tend to be most visible during the late spring and early summer seasons. Polar mesospheric clouds also are of interest to scientists studying the atmosphere. While some scientists seek to understand their mechanisms of formation, others have identified them as potential indicators of atmospheric changes resulting from increases in greenhouse gas concentrations. This photograph was taken when the station was over the Pacific Ocean south of French Polynesia. While most polar mesospheric cloud images are taken from the orbital complex with relatively short focal length lens to maximize the field of view, this image was taken with a long lens (400 mm) allowing for additional detail of the cloud forms to be seen. Below the brightly-lit noctilucent clouds in the center of the image, the pale orange band indicates the stratosphere.

Southern part of the Sea of Okhotsk, north of Japan

SL4-141-4340 (20 Jan. 1974) --- An oblique view of the southern part of the Sea of Okhotsk, north of Japan, as photographed from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit by one of the Skylab 4 crewmen. The camera used was a hand-held 70mm Hasselblad, and SO-368 medium-speed Ektachrome. NORTH IS AT THE TOP WHEN THE PICTURE IS HELD WITH THE LARGEST LAND MASS AT THE BOTTOM. Most of the land area is Hokkaido Island, Japan. The southern tip of Sakhalin Island (Soviet Union) is in the northwest corner. This photograph was taken to aid in the study of the formation of sea ice. Comparison of these photographs will be made with observations made during a joint USSR-U.S. experiment in the Bering Sea a year earlier. Observations in the Sea of Okhotsk are of interest because the ice has a morphology similar to that of the Bering Sea. Photo credit: NASA

View of Lake Mead and Las Vegas, Nevada area from Sklyab

SL3-28-059 (July-September 1973) --- A vertical view of the Lake Mead and Las Vegas, Nevada area as photographed from Earth orbit by one of the six lenses of the Itek-furnished S190-A Multispectral Photographic Facility Experiment aboard the Skylab space station. Lake Mead is water of the Colorado River impounded by Hoover Dam. Most of the land in the picture is Nevada. However, a part of the northwest corner of Arizona can be seen. Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP project are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA

STS-56 view of freeflying SPARTAN-201 backdropped against heavy cloud cover

STS056-90-034 (8-17 April 1993) --- Backdropped against heavy cloud cover over the Mediterranean Sea, the SPARTAN-201 satellite was captured on 70mm by crewmembers aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. SPARTAN is a free-flying payload designed to study the solar wind and part of the sun's corona. The project was conceived in the late 1970s to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the Space Shuttle to provide more observation time for the increasingly more sophisticated experiments than the five to ten minutes provided by sounding rocket flights. On the mission's third day, Astronaut Ellen Ochoa, Mission Specialist, used the remote manipulator system (RMS) to lift the satellite from its support structure on Discovery and release it in space. The reusable craft was later recaptured and returned to Earth with the crew. Note the tip of Discovery's vertical stabilizer at frame's edge.

S65-45736 (21-29 Aug. 1965) --- Alexandria, Egypt is photographed from the Gemini-5 spacecraft in orbit over Earth.

EARTH SKY - GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-5 (70mm HASSELBLAD)

S65-45763 (21-29 Aug. 1965) --- View of the lower tip of Baja, California and Bahia de la Paz taken from the Gemini-5 spacecraft in orbit over Earth.

GEMINI-V - EARTH-SKY VIEW - BAJA, CA - OUTER SPACE

S65-18750 (23 March 1965) --- Astronaut John W. Young took this picture over eastern Africa during the Gemini-Titan 3 three-orbit mission on March 23, 1965. The altitude of the Gemini spacecraft "Molly Brown" was 90 miles. Young used a hand-held modified 70mm Hasselblad camera with color film. The lens setting was 250th of a second at f/11.

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-3 - EARTH - SKY VIEW - AFRICA

S65-45737 (22 Aug. 1965) --- Looking northeast, the Strait of Gibraltar, Morocco (foreground) and Spain (background) are photographed from the Gemini-5 spacecraft during its 14th revolution of Earth.

GEMINI-V - EARTH-SKY - STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR - OUTER SPACE

S65-18752 (23 March 1965) --- View of a cloudy part of Earth as seen from the Gemini-3 spacecraft while in orbit.

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-3 - EARTH - SKY VIEW - MADAGASCAR (MALAGASY)

Houston, Texas area as seen from STS-62

STS062-106-094 (4-18 March 1994) --- The Greater Houston metropolitan area, completely clear of clouds, was captured on 70mm film by one of the crew members aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. The belt system on the north, east and south sides of the city can be traced in the frame, though not completed. The west belt is just out of frame on the left side. Houston Intercontinental Airport is at top center. The NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) and Nassau Bay can be traced inland from the portion of Galveston Bay in the lower right corner. Not only the dome proper of Harris County Domed Stadium is visible but so are two other structures in the Astrodome complex (left center), Astro Arena and Astrohall.

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-4 - EARTH SKY

S65-34659 (3-7 June 1965) --- Among the many photographs taken from the Gemini-4 spacecraft during its orbital flight around Earth was this view of the Hahramaut Plateau on the southern portion of the Arabian Peninsula. The Wadi Hahramaut is in the foreground; with the Gulf of Aden (dark blue). This photograph was made with a modified 70mm Hasselblad camera, using Eastman color film, ASA 64, at a lens setting of 250th of a second at f/11.

Gemini IV Mission Image - Baja California, Colorado river and Sonora Desert

S65-34673 (3-7 June 1965) --- This photograph shows the north end of the Gulf of California at the mouth of the Colorado River as it was seen from the Gemini-4 spacecraft during orbital flight June 3-7, 1965. This picture was part of the Synoptic Terrain Photography experiments conducted during the flight to obtain high quality photographs of large land areas already mapped by aerial photography. In charge of these experiments was Dr. Paul D. Lowman Jr., NASA geologist from Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. This picture was taken with a modified 70mm Hasselblad camera using Eastman color film, ASA 64 at a lens setting of 250th of a second at f/11.

S65-18759 (23 March 1965) --- Astronaut John W. Young took this picture of clouds over the Indian Ocean during the Gemini-Titan 3 three-orbit mission on March 23, 1965. Young used a hand-held modified 70mm Hasselblad camera with color film. The lens setting was 250th of a second at f/11.

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-3 - EARTH - SKY VIEWS

S65-45731 (21-29 Aug. 1965) --- View of the Gulf of Tonkin, China and the Luichow Peninsula photographed from the Gemini-5 spacecraft in orbit over Earth.

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-5 - EARTH SKY (70MM HASSELBLAD)

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-4 - EARTH-SKY VIEW

S65-34661 (3-7 June 1965) --- Among the photographs of Earth's terrain taken from the Gemini-4 spacecraft during its orbital mission was this view of the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula with the Gulf of Oman at upper right. Seif dunes (sand) at lower left. This picture was taken with a modified 70mm Hasselblad camera, using Eastman color film, ASA 64 at a setting of 250th of a second at f/11. Dr. Paul Lowman Jr., NASA geologist, was in charge of the Synoptic Terrain Photography.

Earth observations from STS-62 flight

STS062-85-031 (4-18 March 1994) --- The shallow platforms (bright blue) and deep channels (dark blue) of the Bahamas provide a striking visual from space. On a finer scale, delicate patterns are created by the islands, sandbars and tidal channels. This view features a portion of the Tongue of the Ocean, one of the large deep water sounds in the western Bahamas. On the platform along the edge of the Tongue of the Ocean are convoluted sandbars bordering channels which fall into the deeper water. These channels provide an avenue for transport of sediment off the shallow platform (3-10 meters) into the deeper water (1,800 meters).

S65-45753 (21-29 Aug. 1965) --- Cape Kennedy, Florida is featured in this image photographed from the Gemini-5 spacecraft in orbit over Earth.

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-5 - EARTH-SKY - (70mm HASSELBLAD)

STS059-58-018 (9-20 April 1994) --- Part of the Space Shuttle Endeavour and its Space Radar Laboratory (SRL-1) payload are backdropped against a colorful display of the Southern Lights (aurora australis). The vehicle was firing a reaction control subsystem thruster (below center) when the 35mm image was exposed.

Endeavour and its SRL-1 payload backdropped against the Southern Lights

S65-45748 (21-29 Aug. 1965) --- Looking northeast, the Imperial Valley and Salton Sea in southern California is photographed from the Earth-orbiting Gemini-5 spacecraft. This picture was taken with a modified 70mm Hasselblad camera, using MS Ektachrome thin base film, ASA 64.

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-5 - EARTH-SKY - (70mm HASSELBLAD)

STS059-52-029 (9-20 April 1994) --- The constellation Orion is backdropped against a colorful display of the Southern Lights (aurora australis) in this 35mm image. Six NASA astronauts went on to spend a week and a half aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in support of the Space Radar Laboratory (SRL-1) mission.

Aurora over Earth limb

S65-34776 (3-7 June 1965) --- This photograph shows the Nile Delta, Egypt, the Suez Canal, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq as seen from the Gemini-Titan 4 (GT-4) spacecraft during its 12th revolution of Earth.

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-4 - EARTH-SKY - OUTER SPACE

S65-45697 (21-29 Aug. 1965) --- The western coastline of Baja, California and Cedros Island is photographed from the Gemini-5 spacecraft in orbit over Earth.

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-5 - EARTH-SKY - (70mm HASSELBLAD)

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-3 - EARTH- SKY VIEW

S65-18740 (23 March 1965) --- Astronaut John W. Young took this picture during the second orbit of the Gemini-Titan 3 three-orbit mission as the spacecraft "Molly Brown" passed over Northern Mexico at an altitude of 90 miles. The light-brown circular area at the lower right is the Sonoran Desert. The lower portion of the picture is Mexico, and the upper part is California. Young used a hand-held modified 70mm Hasselblad camera with color film. The lens setting was 250th of a second at f/11.

S65-45717 (21-29 Aug. 1965) --- View of the Himalayas and Northern India photographed from the Gemini-5 spacecraft in orbit over Earth.

EARTH-SKY - GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-5 (70mm Hasselblad)

S65-34670 (3-7 June 1965) --- Richat crater in northwest Africa taken from the Gemini-4 spacecraft. Photograph was taken with a modified 70mm Hasselblad camera, using Eastman color film, ASA 64, at a lens setting of 250th of a second at f/11.

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-4 - EARTH-SKY - OUTER SPACE

South Georgia Island in the South Atlantic Ocean

SL4-142-4577 (28 Jan. 1974) --- Two large ice islands in the vicinity of South Georgia Island in the South Atlantic Ocean, as photographed from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit by one of the Skylab 4 crewmen. The camera used was a hand-held 70mm Hasselblad, with SO-368 medium-speed Ektachrome. One of the ice islands is partially obscured by clouds. Ice islands were observed as large as 45 by 60 kilometers (27 x 37 miles) and as far north as 45 degrees south latitude. The size and distribution of the "small" icebergs (to a ship they would look very large) can be used to study the local winds and currents. Recent research has suggested the possibility of towing such Antarctic icebergs to selected areas and using them as water supplies. One such iceberg would contain many times the water as in Lake Powell. Photo credit: NASA

Houston/Galveston, Texas, USA

STS039-151-175 (28 April-6 May 1991) --- Large format (five-inch) frame of part of the greater Houston metropolitan area photographed from the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Discovery. (Hold photo vertically with Galveston at bottom so that north will be at top.) Heavier than normal spring rains emphasize the several bodies of water in the area. Thanks to Sun angle, the interstate highways, Houston's belt and loop systems and even city streets, farm-to-market roads and airport runways are easily observed in the frame. NASA and Clear Lake City, work and home areas of the seven Discovery astronaut crew members, are easily spotted near upper Galveston Bay in bottom (south portion) of the frame. Houston's central business district and the Harris County Domed Stadium are seen in the upper left quadrant.

View of Mediterranean coastal area of southeastern France

SL3-40-077 (July-September 1973) --- A vertical view of the Mediterranean coastal area of southeastern France as photographed from Earth orbit by one of the six lenses of the Itek-furnished S190-A Multispectral Photographic Facility Experiment aboard the Skylab space station. This view of the coast extends from the eastern outskirts of Marseilles easterly to Cannes, and includes the city of Toulon. The S190-A experiment is part of the Skylab Earth Resources Experiments Package. Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP project are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA

View of southeastern Washington State

SL3-22-0214 (July-September 1973) --- A vertical view of southeastern Washington State as photographed from Earth orbit by one of the six lenses of the Itek-furnished S190-A Multispectral Photographic Facility Experiment aboard the Skylab space station. The Snake River flows into the Columbia River in the most southerly corner of the picture. The Wallula Lake is below the junction of the two rivers. The Yakima Valley is at the southwestern edge of the photograph. The Columbia Basin is in the center of the picture. The Cascade Range extends across the northwest corner of the photograph. This picture was taken with type SO-356 regular color film. The S190-A experiment is part of the Earth Resources Experiments Package. Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP project are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA

This image from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope shows a computer simulation of the planet HD 80606b from an observer located at a point in space lying between the Earth and the HD 80606 system.

Tour of Planet with Extreme Temperature Swings

Matter lying between Earth and the edge of the observable universe is shown in this all-sky map from Planck, a European Space Agency mission with important NASA contributions.

Universal Matter

View of Snowy Mountains area of Australian Alps as photographed from Skylab

SL3-27-180 (July-September 1973) --- A vertical view of the Snowy Mountains area of Australian Alps in the States of Victoria and New South Wales, Australia, as photographed from Earth orbit by one of the six lenses of the Itek-furnished S190-A Multispectral Photographic Facility Experiment aboard the Skylab space station. This picture was taken with type 2443 infrared color film. The lake near the center of the picture is the Eucumbene Reservoir. This area is located immediately south-southwest of the capital city of Canberra. Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP project are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA

View of the Salt Lake City, Utah area

SL3-22-0322 (July-September 1973) --- An oblique view of the Salt Lake City, Utah area as photographed from Earth orbit by one of the six lenses of the Itek-furnished S190-A Multispectral Photographic Facility Experiment aboard the Skylab space station. Approximately two-thirds of the Great Salt Lake is in view. The smaller body of water south of Salt Lake City is Utah Lake. The Wasatch Range is on the east side of the Great Salt Lake. Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP project are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA

Clouds and Open Ocean near the Bahamas

STS004-41-1206 (27 June-4July 1982) --- Sunglint reflects off the water of the North Atlantic Ocean in an area to the east of the Bahamas Islands sometimes called the Sargasso Sea. The area has also been referred to as the ?Bermuda Triangle.? Astronauts Thomas K. Mattingly II, STS-4 commander, and Henry W. Hartsfield Jr., pilot, spent seven days and one hour aboard the Earth-orbiting space shuttle Columbia and performed a variety of duties in addition to those of recording 70mm and 35mm imagery. Photo credit: NASA

Aurora Australis, Red Crown

STS039-23-036 (28 April-6 May 1991) --- A 35mm frame of the Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, photographed from the Space Shuttle Discovery's flight deck by one of its seven crew members. One of the mission objectives was to measure the spectral and spatial characteristics of auroral emissions. While passing over the sunlit portion of Earth, the crew was able to take a number of photos of the various geographic points on the planet; much of the time on nightside passes was devoted to a thorough study and documentation of auroral displays.

Aurora Australis, Sinuous Loop

STS039-23-020 (28 April-6 May 1991) --- A 35mm frame of the Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, photographed from Space Shuttle Discovery's flight deck by one of its seven crew members. One of the mission objectives was to measure the spectral and spatial characteristics of auroral emissions. While passing over the sunlighted portion of Earth, the crew was able to take a number of photos of the various geographic points on the planet; much of the time on nightside passes was devoted to a thorough study and documentation of auroral displays.

Aurora Australis, Spiked and Sinuous Red and Green Airglow

STS039-377-013 (28 April-6 May 1991) --- Moonlight saturates the high speed film used for auroral photography. Moon glint is visible in the open ocean and the cloud patterns are well illuminated. This frame was taken with a handheld 35mm camera from inside the Space Shuttle Discovery's crew cabin. This is one of 25 visuals used by the STS-39 crew at its May 17, 1991 Post Flight Press Conference (PFPC). Discovery's flight of eight days duration, launched April 28, 1991 from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and completed on May 6, 1991 at the KSC landing facility, was dedicated to the Department of Defense (DOD). Crew members were astronauts Michael L. Coats, L. Blaine Hammond, Guion S. Bluford, Richard J. Hieb, Gregory J. Harbaugh, Donald R. McMonagle and Charles L. (Lacy) Veach.

Aurora Australis, Spiked and Sinuous Red and Green Airglow

STS039-342-026 (28 April-6 May 1991) --- This view of the Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, shows a band of airglow above the limb of Earth. Photo experts at NASA studying the mission photography identify the airglow as being in the 80-120 kilometer altitude region and attribute its existence to atomic oxygen (wavelength of 5,577 Angstroms), although other atoms can also contribute. The atomic oxygen airglow is usually most intense at altitudes around 65 degrees north and south latitude, and is most intense in the spring and fall of the year. The aurora phenomena is due to atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen being excited by the particles from the Van Allen Radiation belts which extend between the two geomagnetic poles. The red and green rays appear to extend upward to 200-300 kilometers, much higher than the usual upper limits of about 110 kilometers.

Aurora Australis, Spiked, Sinuous Green Airglow

STS039-25-006 (28 April-6 May 1991) --- A 35mm frame of the Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, photographed from the Space Shuttle Discovery's flight deck by one of its seven crew members. One of the mission objectives was to measure the spectral and spatial characteristics of auroral emissions. While passing over the sunlighted portion of Earth, the crew was able to take a number of photos of the various geographic points on the planet; much of the time on nightside passes was devoted to a thorough study and documentation of auroral displays.

Metropolitan area of Chicago

SL3-88-222 (18 Sept. 1973) --- The metropolitan area of Chicago is encompassed in this Skylab 3 Earth Resources Experiments Package (EREP) S190-B photograph taken on Sept. 18, 1973 from the Skylab space station cluster in Earth orbit. The surrounding major cities of Aurora and Joliet, Illinois; Hammond, Gary and East Chicago, Indiana, are easily delineated. The photograph reveals the following: (1) Cultural differentiation of commercial, industrial and residential areas for use in population and social studies in micro-macro community planning and in cultural pattern studies in the improvement of urban areas. (Aurora is one of 27 census cities of interest to Robert Alexander, a principal investigator. Alexander is with the U.S. Geological Survey). (2) The transportation network with major corridors and their interchanges, primary and feeder streets for use in network analysis and in the development of models for population movement and land use projection. (3) The agricultural lands for land use identification on crop inventory analysis; airports for use in delineation of service and infringement of major man-made features that affect ecosystem balance (support to environmental impact studies). (4) Air and water plumes for use in case studies, natural and man-made differentiation of pollution sources, in support of model development and in ecosystem research studies on the effects of pollution. (5) Recreational centers for use in relating recreational centers to population centers, establishing possible demands and in development of possible future recreational centers to support the demand. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA

View of Florence, Italy area from Skylab

SL3-33-156 (July-September 1973) --- A near vertical view of the Florence, Italy area as photographed from Earth orbit by one of the Itek-furnished S190-A Multispectral Photographic Facility Experiment aboard the Skylab space station. The view extends from the Ligurian Sea, an extension of the Mediterranean Sea, across the Apennine Mountains to the Po River Valley. Florence (Firenze) is near the center of the land mass. The mouth of the Arno River is at the center of the coastline. The city of Leghorn (Livorno) is on the coast just south of the Arno River. This picture was taken with type 2443 infrared color film. The S190-A experiment is part of the Skylab Earth Resources Experiments Package. Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP project are the Department of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA

View of southeastern New York State

SL3-87-299 (July-September 1973) --- A vertical view of southeastern New York State is seen in this Skylab 3 Earth Resources Experiments Package S190-B (five-inch Earth terrain camera) infrared photograph taken from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. An 18-inch, 450mm lens and type 2443 infrared Ektachrome film was used. This picture covers the northern part of New Jersey, a part of northwestern Pennsylvania, and the western tip of Connecticut. The body of water is Long Island Sound. The wide Hudson River flows southward across a corner of the photograph. The New York City metropolitan area occupies part of the picture. Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP project are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA

Color composite C-band and L-band image of Kilauea volcanoe on Hawaii

STS059-S-074 (15 April 1994) --- This color composite C-Band and L-Band image of the Kilauea volcano on the big island of Hawaii was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) flying on the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The city of Hilo can be seen at the top. The image shows the different types of lava flows around the crater Pu'u O'o. Ash deposits which erupted in 1790 from the summit of Kilauea volcano show up as dark in this image, and fine details associated with lava flows which erupted in 1919 and 1974 can be seen to the south of the summit in an area called the Ka'u Desert. In addition, the other historic lava flows created in 1881 and 1984 from Mauna Loa volcano (out of view to the left of this image) can easily be seen despite the fact that the surrounding area is covered by forest. Such information will be used to map the extent of such flows, which can pose a hazard to the subdivisions of Hilo. Highway 11 is the linear feature running from Hilo to the Kilauea volcano. The Kilauea volcano has been almost continuously active for more than the last 11 years. Field teams that were on the ground specifically to support these radar observations report that there was vigorous surface activity about 400 meters (one-quarter mile) inland from the coast. A moving lava flow about 200 meters (660 feet) in length was observed at the time of the Shuttle over flight, raising the possibility that subsequent images taken during this mission will show changes in the landscape. SIR-C/X-SAR is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE). SIR-C/X-SAR radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-Band (24 cm), C-Band (6 cm), and X-Band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). X-SAR was developed by the Dornire and Alenia Spazio Companies for the German Space Agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian Space Agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI). JPL Photo ID: P-43918

View of the Salinas River Valley area south of Monterey Bay, California

SL3-88-004 (July-September 1973) --- A vertical view of the Salinas River Valley area south of Monterey Bay, California area is seen in this Skylab 3 Earth Resources Experiments Package S190-B (five-inch Earth terrain camera) photograph taken from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. The valley is an irrigated agricultural area, and is indicated by the dark-green and light-gray rectangular patterns in the centre of the picture. The city of Salinas is barely visible under the cloud cover at the top (north) end of the valley. The dark mass on the left (west) side of the valley is the Santa Lucia mountain range. The Big Sur area is on the left and partly covered by clouds. The Diablo Range forms the dark mass in the lower right (southeast) corner of the photograph. The town of Hollister is the gray area in the dark-green rectangular farm tracts which occupy the floor of the San Benito Valley in the upper right (northeast) corner of the photograph. The Salinas River flows northwestward toward Monterey Bay. The towns of Soledad, Greenfield and King City appear as gray areas along U.S. 101 in the Salinas Valley. The geology of the area is complex, and has been racked by several earthquakes resulting from movement along the San Andreas and subsidiary faults. Here, the surface expression of the San Andreas Fault can be traced from a point just west of Hollister at the contrast of dark brown and tan to a point about one inch left of the lower right (southeast) corner of the picture. Subsidiary faults are indicated by the curving trend of the rocks along the right side. The photograph will provide detailed information on land use patterns (Dr. R. Colwell, University of California, Berkeley) and fault tectonics (Dr. P. Merifield, Earth Science Res., Inc. and Dr. M. Abdel-Gawad, Rockwell International). Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP project are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior’s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA

Kennedy Space Center and the Florida Atlantic coast area

SL4-93-167 (February 1974) --- A vertical view of the Kennedy Space Center and the Florida Atlantic coast area is seen in this Skylab 4 Earth Resources Experiments Package S190-B (five-inch earth terrain camera) infrared photography taken from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. This photograph shows the major land-ocean features of the Florida coast near Vero Beach northward to Cape Canaveral and the KSC complex. The launch pads for the Skylab missions are clearly visible. Identification of living vegetation is possible through the use of the color infrared film. Various shades of red portray differences in the vegetation such as shown in the patterns in the agricultural area near Vero Beach. In the Kennedy Space Center, the nearly continuous and uniform red color shows that most of the land areas are heavily vegetated. The white coastal beach areas are strongly contrasted to the red land and the blue Atlantic Ocean. Old dunal areas in KSC are visible on Merritt Island which is separated from the Launch areas by the Banana River and the mainland by the Indian River. Federal and state highways and numerous causeways over the rivers are easily identified. The Florida mainland is partly shadowed by small white clouds which cast a pronounced shadow to the east of each cloud indicated the Sun is west of solar noon. Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP project are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Core of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior's Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA

Detroit, Michigan metropolitan area photographed from Skylab

SL3-83-0152 (July-September 1973) --- A near vertical view of the metropolitan Detroit, Michigan area is seen in this Skylab 3 Earth Resources Experiments Package S190-B (five-inch Earth terrain camera) photograph taken from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. The 25-mile long Detroit River drains the smaller body of water (Lake St. Clair) and flows southwestward separating Detroit from Windsor, Ontario, and empties into Lake Erie. The Detroit River handles a great deal of Great Lakes barge and ship traffic. Major streets and thoroughfares radiating from the city are clearly visible. Fighting Island is the highly reflective, white area located almost in the center of the picture. This high reflectivity is caused by the functional use of the island-disposal ponds for chemical salts. Sedimentation and/or pollution patterns in the area provide interesting visual phenomena for speculation and analysis. Distinct and rather unique cultivated field patterns can be observed south and east of Windsor, Ontario. This is a direct result of an English survey and land tenure system which was utilized when the area was settled. New areas of residential development are fairly easy to differentiate from older, established residential areas. Vegetation and extent of area coverage can be determined. The Oakland County Planning Commission and the Federal Bureau of Outdoor Recreation working closely with Irv Sattinger of the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (University of Michigan) are presently processing and analyzing photographic and Multispectral scanner data to determine its usefulness for recreation and open space site studies for this area. Photo credit: NASA

Three dimensional perspective view of portion of western Galapagos Islands

STS059-S-085 (18 April 1994) --- This is a three-dimensional perspective view of part of Isla Isabela in the western Galapagos Islands. It was taken by the L-Band radar in HH polarization from the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) on the 40th orbit of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. This view was constructed by overlaying a SIR-C radar image on a U.S. Geological Survey digital elevation map. The image is centered at about .5 degrees south latitude and 91 degrees west longitude, and covers an area of 75 by 60 kilometers. The radar incidence angle at the center of the image is about 20 degrees. The western Galapagos Islands, which lie about 1200 kilometers west of Ecuador in the eastern Pacific, have six active volcanoes similar to the volcanoes found in Hawaii. Since the time of Charles Darwin's visit to the area in 1835, there have been over 60 recorded eruptions on these volcanoes. This SIR-C/X-SAR image of Alcedo and Sierra Negra volcanoes shows the rougher lava flows as bright features, while ash deposits and smooth pahoehoe lava flows appear dark. The Galapagos Islands are one of the SIR-C/X-SAR supersites and data of this area will be taken several times during the flight to allow scientists to conduct topographic change studies and to search for different lava flow types, ash deposits and fault lines. SIR-C/X-SAR is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE). SIR-C/X-SAR radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-Band (24 cm), C-Band (6 cm), and X-Band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). X-SAR was developed by the Dornire and Alenia Spazio Companies for the German Space Agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian Space Agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI). JPL Photo ID: P-43938

Birmingham and central Alabama area seen in Earth Resources Exp. Package

SL4-93-153 (February 1974) --- A vertical view of the Birmingham and central Alabama area is seen in this Skylab 4 Earth Resources Experiments Package S190-B (five-inch earth terrain camera) infrared photographed taken from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. Illustrated here is the utility of color infrared film in depicting distribution of living vegetation in the 3,600 square mile Birmingham region. The Birmingham industrial complex, with a population of nearly 850,000, is the light gray area nestled in the valley between the northeast-trending ridges that are prominent topographic features in the southern Appalachian Mountains. The narrow ridges and adjacent valleys reflect folded and faulted sedimentary rocks, indicating the complex geological history of the region. Two major rivers and several reservoirs are easily distinguished in this photograph. Bankhand Lake, formed by a dam on the Black Warrior River, appears as bright blue west of Birmingham. Two lakes are formed by dams on the Goosa River east of Birmingham. Federal and state highways appear as thin white lines and are easily identified. Interstate 65 to Montgomery is the prominent white line extending southward from Birmingham. Power line clearings are visible in the center of the picture along the Goosa River, and can be traced northwestward to northern parts of Birmingham. The predominant deep red color of the picture is due to the reflections from living vegetation. In contrast are the light tan areas that commonly occur as rectangular patterns in the east part of the photograph and represent mature agricultural crops or grazing lands. Analysis of the photographic data from the earth terrain camera will be conducted by Dr. H. Jayroe of the Marshall Space Flight Center in developing analytical techniques. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior's Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA

Galileo view of Moon orbiting the Earth taken from 3.9 million miles

Eight days after its encounter with the Earth, the Galileo spacecraft was able to look back and capture this remarkable view of the Moon in orbit about the Earth, taken from a distance of about 6.2 million kilometers (3.9 million miles). The picture was constructed from images taken through the violet, red, and 1.0-micron infrared filters. The Moon is in the foreground, moving from left to right. The brightly-colored Earth contrasts strongly with the Moon, which reflects only about one-third as much sunlight as the Earth. Contrast and color have been computer-enhanced for both objects to improve visibility. Antarctica is visible through clouds (bottom). The Moon's far side is seen; the shadowy indentation in the dawn terminator is the south-Pole/Aitken Basin, one of the largest and oldest lunar impact features. Alternate Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) number is P-41508. View appears in the Space News Roundup v32 n1 p1, 01-11-93.

View of eastern coast of Sicily area

SL3-87-355 (July-September 1973) --- A vertical view of the eastern coast of Sicily area is seen in this Skylab 3 Earth Resources Experiments Package S190-B (five-inch earth terrain camera) infrared photograph taken from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. Mount Etna, the highest volcano in Europe (10,958 feet), is still active as evidenced by the thin plume of smoke emanating from its crest. (The altitude is approximate because the height of the volcano changes with each eruption). On the flanks of Etna recent lava flows appear black in contrast to the older flows and volcanic debris that are red. Numerous small, circular cinder cones on the flanks represent sites of previous eruptions. Catania, on the Mediterranean coast south of Etna, is the largest of several cities and villages which appear as light-gray patches on the lower slopes of the volcano. Plano de Catania, south of the city of Catania, is outlined by polygonal light and dark agricultural tracts. Several lakes, the largest of which is Lake Pozzillo, show up as dark blue in the photograph. The unusual colors in the picture are due to the use of color infrared film in which vegetation appears red. This is very evident on the slopes of Etna, in the Monti Nebrodi area at upper let, and in the local areas in the lower part of the picture. Studies of Mount Etna and related volcanic features will be undertaken by Professor Roberto Cassinis of Servizio Geologio d?Italia, Rome. Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP project are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observation Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA

Washington, D.C. and the Baltimore, Maryland area

SL3-83-166 (July-September 1973) --- A vertical view of the Washington D.C. and the Baltimore, Maryland area is seen in the Skylab 3 Earth Resources Experiments Package S190-B (five-inch Earth terrain camera) photograph taken from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. The Chesapeake Bay is on the right (east) side of the picture. The Potomac River flows through the Washington area in the lower left (southwest) corner of the photograph. Several transportation routes and major highways stand out very distinctly. Especially conspicuous are the beltways around the cities, Interstate 95 between Baltimore and the nation?s capitol and Interstate 70N leading west from Baltimore. The tunnel and harbor facilities in Baltimore show clearly, also. Identifiable features in the Washington area include the Capitol Building, the Mall area, Robert F. Kennedy Stadium (white circle), the five bridges across the Potomac, Andrews Air Force Base (on east loop), and the smaller Anacostia River. The extent of the urbanization in this area is dramatically illustrated in this picture. The photograph has sufficient resolution that the housing patterns for individual suburban areas are clearly defined with the houses shown as pink gray, wooded areas as dark green and cleared areas light green. Chesapeake Bay circulation patterns are indicated by contrast of dark and light blue. Sediment plumes (red) are seen entering the bay north and east of Baltimore. The bay bridge stands out white against the blue water. The detailed information contained in this one photograph will be of direct use to several EREP investigator teams in land use analysis, sedimentation and circulation patterns in the bay, and resource surveys of Maryland. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA

Earth Observations taken by Expedition 34 crewmember

Cairo, Egypt/Nile River viewed from STS-66 Atlantis

This close-up view of the intensively cultivated Nile River flood plain near Cairo presents a sharp color contrast to the virtually non-vegetated, sandy desert, located to the west of the vegetated area. Some rectangular cultivated field patterns, as well as circular center pivot irrigation patterns, can be observed northwest of the Nile River flood plain. The world famous Giza Pyramids are located near the center of this photography (see highly reflective sand surfaces).

Sakura-jima volcano in Japan as seen from STS-66 Atlantis

One of the world's most active volcanoes, Sakura-jima in southern-most Kyushu, Japan, erupts dozens of times a year. Volcanic eruptions are so much a part of of daily life in the city of Kagoshima (across the bay and west of Sakura-jima), that school children wear hard hats to school. This photo provides a nice clear view of Sakura-jima on a quiet day - only a plume of steam rises from the summit crater. The summit region is covered with gray ash from the frequent eruptions, and some of the rivers cutting down the mountain (especially the western drainages) appear to be filled with volcanic debris.