Earth from Space - Image Description

STS073-735-083 Shark Bay, Western Australia, Australia October 1995
This is a wide, southwest-looking view toward Australia's west coast. The prominent bay is Shark Bay. Shark Bay is a frequently photographed site by astronauts because of its distinctive shape. It is a World Heritage Site and is noted for its plant and animal populations, including dolphins, dugongs and stromatolites. Two distinct, ephemeral drainage systems, Gascoyne River (north) and Wooramel River (south), are visible on the mainland (eastern) side of Shark Bay. The city of Carnarvon is located along the southern shore of the Gascoyne River at its mouth and delta.

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