Uploads from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, tagged crewearthobservation

Pavlof Volcano Eruption (NASA, International Space Station, 05/18/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:02:47 -0700

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

Pavlof Volcano was captured in the fourth day of its eruption by one of the Expedition 36 crew members on the International Space Station. Pavlof volcano, in the Aleutian Islands about 625 miles (1,000 kilometers) southwest of Anchorage, jetted lava into the air and spewed an ash cloud 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) high. The space station was above a point in the North Pacific Ocean located at 49.1 degrees north latitude and 157.4 degrees west longitude, about 475 miles south-southeast of the volcano. The volcanic plume extends southeastward. The volcano began erupting May 13.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-36/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Paris at Night (NASA, International Space Station, 04/07/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Wed, 15 May 2013 08:02:27 -0700

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

One of the crew members aboard the International Space Station photographed this night image of the bright city of Paris, France on April 7, 2013.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-35/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

San Diego County, California (NASA, International Space Station, 04/22/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Mon, 13 May 2013 09:11:22 -0700

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

One of the Expedition 35 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station took this vertical image covering most of San Diego County, the most southwestern county in the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, San Diego County had a population of 3,095,313 people, making it the second most populous county in California, with the first being Los Angeles County. The United States Naval Air Station at San Diego is visible, as are the nearby United States Naval Reservation and the Coronado Amphibious Base. The United States - Mexico border is just out of view at the right edge of the frame.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-35/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Tripoli, Libya at Night (NASA, International Space Station, 04/18/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Thu, 09 May 2013 08:08:44 -0700

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

One of the Expedition 35 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station photographed this night image of Tripoli, Libya on April 18, 2013. The spacecraft was orbiting approximately 215 miles above a point centered at 32.3 degrees north latitude and 11.8 degrees east longitude.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-35/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Island of Ibiza (NASA, International Space Station, 03/22/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:26:26 -0700

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

One of the Expedition 35 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station used a digital camera equipped with a 400 millimeter lens to capture this image of the island of Ibiza (Eivissa in the native Catalan language), located off of the southeastern coast of Spain. Ibiza is part of the Balearic archipelago. Together with the neighboring island of Formentera (not shown), it comprises the Pine Islands of the western archipelago. The largest cities on the island, Ibiza Town, Sant Antoni de Portmany, and Santa EulÃ ria des Riu, appear as white to pink regions near coastal bays in the image. Much of the lowland interior of the island is covered with green to light brown agricultural fields; some are still in active production for such crops as wheat, olives, and grapes but many fields are inactive and experiencing regrowth of native trees such as pine (Pinus halpensis) and savine (Juniperus phoenicea). The northern and southwestern coastlines are hilly (grey-brown regions), with the highest peak (Sa Talaia, 475 meters above sea level) located in the southwestern region. Like many of the Balearic Islands, the major industry of Ibiza is European tourism, and it is particularly well known for the nightlife of Ibiza Town and Sant Antoni de Portmany. Ships near Ibiza Town and a ship wake off the southwestern coastline are visible at image lower left. The island hosts a large variety of birds and lizards; however no large land fauna are present. The Mediterranean Sea to the southeast of the island appears dark in the image due to shadowing by clouds, just visible at the lower right corner of the image.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-35/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Boston at Night (NASA, International Space Station, 04/06/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 07:22:48 -0700

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

One of the crew members aboard the International Space Station recorded this almost vertical nocturnal view of the Boston metropolitan area on April 6, 2013.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-35/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

New York City at Night (NASA, International Space Station, 03/23/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:28:27 -0700

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

One of the Expedition 35 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station exposed this 400 millimeter night image of the greater New York City metropolitan area on March 23. For orientation purposes, note that Manhattan runs horizontal through the frame from left to the midpoint. Central Park is just a little to the left of frame center.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-35/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Belgrade, Republic of Serbia (NASA, International Space Station, 03/05/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:46:47 -0700

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

One of the Expedition 34 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station captured this image of Belgrade, the capital city of the Republic of Serbia. Located at the confluence of the Danube and Sava Rivers, the Belgrade metropolitan area has a population of 1.65 million (2011 census information) which ranks it as one of the largest such areas in southeastern Europe. Human occupation of the Belgrade area can be traced back over 6000 years. According to historical reports, a city that eventually became Belgrade existed by at least 279 BC. The core of old Belgrade -- known as Kalemegdan --is located along the right banks of both the Danube and the Sava Rivers (image center). To the west across the Sava, Novi Beograd (New Belgrade) was constructed following World War II. The photograph was acquired on March 5, 2013 with a digital camera using the equivalent of a 700 millimeter lens.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-34/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Galveston Island (NASA, International Space Station, 03/12/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 12:25:47 -0700

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

One of the Expedition 34 crew members aboard the International Space Station recorded this image of much of Galveston Island, which is annually a popular "spring break" spot for students and vacationers from all over. Weather-wise, the whole week was pretty much a carbon copy of this clear day, though official spring time was more than a week away. The west end of Bolivar Peninsula is visible in the lower left quadrant of the image.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-34/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Aurora Borealis Over the British Isles (NASA, International Space Station, 02/14/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 08:08:41 -0700

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

One of the Expedition 34 crew members aboard the International Space Station recorded this night image of the British Isles. The view is to the north with Dublin, Ireland left of center. London appears as the bright cluster of lights centered in the lower right quadrant. The green appearance along the horizon is the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-34/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Sun Over Earth (NASA, International Space Station, 01/12/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:09:50 -0700

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

Earth's atmosphere has a distorting effect of the sun in this scenic panorama photographed by one of the Expedition 34 crew members aboard the International Space Station.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-34/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Aurora Borealis Over Colorado (NASA, International Space Station, 02/10/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:48:20 -0700

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

One of the Expedition 34 crew members aboard the International Space Station captured this night panorama featuring a display of Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis, and scattered lights in the more highly populated areas in the state of Colorado and possibly the states north of it. A 50 millimeter lens was used to record the image.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-34/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Cleveland, Ohio at Night (NASA, International Space Station, 02/10/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:38:09 -0800

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

One of the Expedition 34 crew members aboard the International Space Station, flying at an altitude of approximately 240 miles, took this night view of Cleveland, Ohio on Feb. 10, 2013.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-34/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Ethiopia and the Red Sea (NASA, International Space Station, 10/20/12)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 07:45:00 -0800

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

This oblique photo of Ethiopia and part of the Red Sea was photographed by one of the Expedition 33 crew members aboard the International Space Station. The name of the funnel-shaped area is the Afar Depression or Afar Triangle. The green body of water is Lake Tana, connected to the Blue Nile.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-33/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s)

of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or

endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Reno, Nevada at Night (NASA, International Space Station, 01/28/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 07:01:08 -0800

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

Editor's note: what a nice way to start a Monday. Beautiful image of Reno!

A nighttime view of the Reno, Nevada metropolitan area is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 34 crew member on the International Space Station. Known as “the biggest little city in the world”, the city of Reno is located in Truckee Meadows along the eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada near the California border. It forms part of the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area—the largest such area in northern Nevada, and the second largest in the state after Las Vegas. Lake Tahoe, a major destination for skiing and other outdoor recreational activities, is located less than 50 kilometers to the southwest of the Reno-Sparks metro area. The relatively isolated nature of the metropolitan area within the surrounding terrain is highlighted in this nighttime image. The major industrial and commercial areas of both Reno and Sparks are brightly lit at center. The major street grid is visible as orange linear features adjacent to the industrial/commercial areas. Residential areas appear dark in contrast. The Reno-Tahoe International Airport (center) is visible as a dark, dagger-shaped region in the southeast quarter of the metropolitan area. At the time this photograph was taken, the moon was in a waning gibbous phase (98 percent of a full moon). Moonlight provided enough illumination of the ground surface such that the topography, accentuated by snow cover, surrounding the Reno-Sparks area is clearly visible (upper right, lower right) following color enhancement.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-34/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Liege, Belgium at Night (NASA, International Space Station, 12/08/12)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:21:29 -0800

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

Editor's note: I can't believe I missed this jewel of an image from December. Liege, you certainly know how to make a splash!

A nighttime view of Liege, Belgium is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 34 crew member on the International Space Station. To paraphrase the old expression, "all roads lead to Liege" -- or at least one could get that impression from this nighttime photograph. 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 left to right is approximately 70 kilometers. The region at upper left 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 space station relative to Earth. The primary mission goal was to take high-resolution, long exposure digital imagery of Earth from the station's Cupola, particularly cities at night. While the official NightPod mission has been completed, the mechanism remains onboard for crew members 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.

Image credit: NASA

Original image:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-34/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

There's a Flickr group about Space Station Research. Please feel welcome to join! www.flickr.com/groups/stationscience/

View more photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Polar Mesospheric Clouds Over the South Pacific Ocean (NASA, International Space Station Science, 1/05/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 08:55:20 -0800

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

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.

Image credit: NASA/JSC

View original image/caption:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-34/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

There's a Flickr group about Space Station Research. Please feel welcome to join! www.flickr.com/groups/stationscience/

View more than 500 photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

Appalachian Mountains (NASA, International Space Station Science, 11/17/12)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 09:42:42 -0800

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

The Appalachian Mountains in the eastern Unites States are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 33 crew member on the International Space Station. This regional view shows the striking visual effect of the valley-and-ridge topography of the Appalachian Mountains as viewed from orbit. The view shows more than 300 miles (500 kilometers) of this low mountain chain, from northeast Pennsylvania (lower left) to southern West Virginia, where a dusting of snow can be seen (top center). Sunglint reflections reveal detail of Chesapeake Bay and the great bend of the Potomac River. Cities are difficult to detect from space during daylight hours, so the sickle-shaped bend of the river is a good visual guide for station crew members trying to photograph the nation's capital, Washington D.C. (upper left). The farm-dominated Piedmont Plateau is the light-toned area between the mountains and the bay. The Appalachian Mountains appear striped because the ridges are forested; providing a dense and dark canopy cover, while the valleys are farmed with crops that generally appear as lighter-toned areas. Geologically the valleys are the softer, more erodible rock layers, much the preferred places for human settlement. Not only do the larger rivers occupy the valley floors, but all the larger rivers flow in them, soils are thicker, slopes are gentle, and valleys are better protected from winter winds. According to scientists, rocks that form the valley-and-ridge province, as it is known, are relatively old (540-300 million years old), and were laid down in horizontal layers when North America was attached to Europe as the ancient supercontinent of Laurasia. During this time Gondwanaland -- an ancient supercontinent that included present-day Africa, India, South America, Australia and Antarctica - was approaching Laurasia under the influence of plate tectonics. The northwest coastline of modern Africa was the section of Gondwanaland that "bumped up" against modern North America over a long period (320 -- 260 million years ago), according to scientists. The net result of the tectonic collision was the building of a major mountain chain, much higher than the present Appalachian rangeâ€”in the process of which the flat-lying rock layers were crumpled up into a series of tight folds, at right angles to the advance of Gondwanaland. The collision also formed the singular supercontinent of Pangaea. The scientists say that, over the following 200 million years, Pangaea broke apart; the modern Atlantic Ocean formed; and erosion wore down the high mountains. What is left to see are the coastline of North America, and the eroded stumps of the mountain chain as the relatively low, but visually striking present-day Appalachian Mountains.

Image credit: NASA/JSC

View original image/caption:
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-33/html/...

More about space station research:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html

There's a Flickr group about Space Station Research. Please feel welcome to join! www.flickr.com/groups/stationscience/

View more than 500 photos like this in the "NASA Earth Images" Flickr photoset:
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/

_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

London, England at Night (NASA, International Space Station, 02/02/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 09:01:48 -0800

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

Editor's note: A little more eye candy. Happy Friday!

This nocturnal photo of London, England was downlinked by the Expedition 34 crew from the International Space Station, flying approximately 240 miles above Earth, on Feb. 2, 2013. Expedition 34 Flight Engineer Chris Hadfield, astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency, added this footnote to his downlink: "London, on the Thames, from the city to the encircling motorway. Heathrow very visible on the (west)." North is at the bottom making west on the right in this image. It's the bright feature with dark parallel lines near the outer looping road.

Image credit: NASA

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Waves Near Trinidad (NASA, International Space Station Science, 01/18/13)

nobody@flickr.com (NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:46:50 -0800

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center posted a photo:

Internal waves off Northern Trinidad are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 34 crew member on the International Space Station. This photograph shows the north coast of the island of Trinidad in the southeastern Caribbean Sea, where heating of the land is setting off the growth of cumulus clouds. The light blue northwest-southeast trending plume at center is sediment from one of the rivers that flows into the sea here. Adjacent to, and appearing to cross the sediment plume, a series of subtle interacting arcs can be seen in the sea. These are known as internal waves which are the surface manifestation of slow waves moving tens of meters beneath the sea surface. These produce enough of an effect on the sea surface to be seen from space, but only where they are enhanced due to reflection of sunlight, or sunglint, back towards the space station. The image shows at least three sets of internal waves interacting. The most prominent set (top left) shows a "packet" of several waves moving from the northwest due to the tidal flow towards the north coast of Trinidad. Two less prominent, younger sets can be seen further out to sea. A very broad set enters the view from the north and northeast, and interacts at top center with the first set. All the internal waves are probably caused by the shelf break near Tobago (outside the image to top right). The shelf break is the step between shallow seas (around continents and islands) and the deep ocean. It is the line at which tides usually start to generate internal waves. The sediment plume at center is embedded in the Equatorial Current (also known as the Guyana Current) and is transporting material to the northwest—in almost the opposite direction to the movement of the internal waves. The current flows strongly from east to west around Trinidad, all the way from equatorial Africa, driven by year-round easterly winds. Seafarers in the vicinity of Trinidad are warned that the current, and its local reverse eddies, make navigation of smaller craft in these waters complicated and sometimes dangerous.

Image credit: NASA/JSC

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These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...