Earth from Space - Image Description

STS035-076-050 Dampier Area, Western Australia, Australia December 1990
The highly reflective surfaces near the middle of the photograph show the location of evaporative pans where salt is being mined on the northwest coast of Western Australia. The Burrup Peninsula, the large peninsula pointing northward (right) has an abundance of prehistoric rock engravings. Part of the extensive Dampier Archipelago is visible along the coastline. This archipelago consists of 42 islands. The islands were formed approximately 7000 years ago when rising water from the melting glaciers (last Ice Age) flooded the coastal valleys.

This service is provided by the International Space Station program and the JSC Earth Science & Remote Sensing Unit, ARES Division, Exploration Integration Science Directorate.