Earth from Space - Image Description

STS068-253-007 Futago Mountain, Kyushu, Japan October, 1994
This detailed view of Futago Mountain (center of image), highest elevation 2365 feet (721 meters), shows a classic radial drainage pattern that is usually associated with volcanoes. The darker landscape maps the steep sloped, densely forested mountain ridgelines, while the lighter colored, linear areas show the eroded valleys that are being used for intensive agriculture. The limited areas of coastal plains are used either for urban development or intensive agriculture. Hime Island is visible off the north coast of this mountainous peninsula that juts northeasterly into the Inland Sea of Japan.

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