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  Image: Geographic Location Direction Photo #: ISS018-E-28898 Date: Feb. 2009
Geographic Region: MEXICO
Feature: POPOCATEPETL VOLCANO, SUMMIT CRATER

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  View Low-Resolution Image  
  Summit of Popocatepetl Volcano, Mexico

Volcan Popocatepetl, a large stratovolcano located approximately 70 kilometers southeast of Mexico City, is considered by many volcanologists to be "the planet's riskiest volcano." The volcano warrants this distinction because of how close it is to one of the most densely populated megacities on Earth: near 23 million people lived in Mexico City in 2009. The variety of potential volcanic hazards at Popocatepetl is also considerable, including explosive eruptions of ash, pyroclastic flows (hot, fluid avalanches of rock fragments and gas), and debris avalanches.

This detailed astronaut photograph of the summit crater of Popocatepetl (image center) also highlights Ventorillo and Noroccidental Glaciers. Together with the ice on nearby Iztaccihuatl Volcano and Pico de Orizaba (Mexico's highest peak and the highest volcano in North America), Popocatepetl's glaciers are the only mountain glaciers in tropical North America. The glaciers create yet another volcanic hazard: dangerous mudflows, or lahars, if the ice were to melt during an eruption. At the time this image was taken, steam and ash plumes were observed at the volcano. A faint white steam plume is visible against gray ash deposits on the eastern and southern flanks of the volcano.
 
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Images: All Available Images Low-Resolution 296k
Mission: ISS018  
Roll - Frame: E - 28898
Geographical Name: MEXICO  
Features: POPOCATEPETL VOLCANO, SUMMIT CRATER  
Center Lat x Lon: 19.0N x 98.6W
Film Exposure:   N=Normal exposure, U=Under exposed, O=Over exposed, F=out of Focus
Percentage of Cloud Cover-CLDP: 10
 
Camera: N2
 
Camera Tilt: 22   LO=Low Oblique, HO=High Oblique, NV=Near Vertical
Camera Focal Length: 800  
 
Nadir to Photo Center Direction: SW   The direction from the nadir to the center point, N=North, S=South, E=East, W=West
Stereo?:   Y=Yes there is an adjacent picture of the same area, N=No there isn't
Orbit Number: 2557  
 
Date: 20090207   YYYYMMDD
Time: 150524   GMT HHMMSS
Nadir Lat: 19.7N  
Latitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Nadir Lon: 97.5W  
Longitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Sun Azimuth: 119   Clockwise angle in degrees from north to the sun measured at the nadir point
Space Craft Altitude: 189   nautical miles
Sun Elevation: 26   Angle in degrees between the horizon and the sun, measured at the nadir point
Land Views: CRATER, MOUNTAIN, VOLCANO  
Water Views: ICE  
Atmosphere Views: PLUME  
Man Made Views:  
City Views:  
Photo is not associated with any sequences


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