Images
February 27, 2020 - South Africa
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Skies over South African were clear on February 24, 2020, allowing the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite to capture a stunning true-color image of the region.
The browns and tans near the top of the image mark the arid Kalahari Desert. The curling line of green that wanders through the Kalahari marks the vegetation along the Orange River. One of the most important rivers in South Africa, the Orange forms in the mountains of Lesotho, east of this image then winds westward through South Africa, eventually forming the border with Namibia.
On the southwestern corner of the continent, the hook-like Cape of Good Hope peninsula stands out as a major landmark. A wide smudge of gray pixels on that peninsula marks the location of Cape Town, the parliamentary capital of South Africa. Running west to east away from Cape Town are the Great Karroo Mountains. The shadow in this image conveys a sense of the very steep grade of the cliffs along the southern coast of South Africa.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 2/24/2020
Resolutions:
1km (1.1 MB), 500m (3.1 MB), 250m (6.2 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Skies over South African were clear on February 24, 2020, allowing the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite to capture a stunning true-color image of the region.
The browns and tans near the top of the image mark the arid Kalahari Desert. The curling line of green that wanders through the Kalahari marks the vegetation along the Orange River. One of the most important rivers in South Africa, the Orange forms in the mountains of Lesotho, east of this image then winds westward through South Africa, eventually forming the border with Namibia.
On the southwestern corner of the continent, the hook-like Cape of Good Hope peninsula stands out as a major landmark. A wide smudge of gray pixels on that peninsula marks the location of Cape Town, the parliamentary capital of South Africa. Running west to east away from Cape Town are the Great Karroo Mountains. The shadow in this image conveys a sense of the very steep grade of the cliffs along the southern coast of South Africa.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 2/24/2020
Resolutions:
1km (1.1 MB), 500m (3.1 MB), 250m (6.2 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
