Earth from Space - Image Description

STS094-750-037 Kauai, Hawaiian Islands July 1997
The oldest of the Hawaiian chain of islands, the Garden Island of Kauai covers an area of 549 sq. miles (1422 sq. km) and was formed by now-extinct volcanoes. High annual rainfall has eroded deep valleys in the central mountain mass. Kauai has several short streams, being the only island of the Hawaiian group that may be said to have rivers. Waimea Canyon, 10 miles (16 km) long and over 3000 feet (915 meters) deep is the westernmost of the several deep valleys cut into the surface of the island (prominent S-shaped valley across the thinner end of the island) and has been called the 'Grand Canyon of the Pacific'. The famous Pali Coast is visible near the bottom left of the island. Besides tourism, Kauai's other major industry is sugarcane.

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