Return to Earth From Space Home
Earth from Space logo Image Information Earth from Space logo

Display a Screen Layout for Printing

IMAGE: gray corner       IMAGE: gray corner
  Image: Geographic Location Direction Photo #: ISS022-E-5807 Date: Dec. 2009
Geographic Region: ITALY
Feature: CALABRIA, CLOUDS, TYRRHENIAN SEA, IONIAN SEA, SUNGLINT

Ordering information for space photography
 
IMAGE: gray corner     IMAGE: gray corner

Image: gray corner     Image: gray corner
  View Low-Resolution Image  
  Cloud Formations and Sunglint, Italy

This astronaut photograph shows the Calabria region of southern Italy--the toe of Italy's "boot"--outlined by the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas to the southeast and northwest respectively. The water surfaces present a mirror-like appearance due to sunglint. This phenomenon is caused by sunlight reflecting off the water surface directly back towards the astronaut observer on board the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS was located over northwestern Romania, approximately 1,040 kilometers to the northeast of Calabria, when this image was taken.

The Calabrian Peninsula appears shortened and distorted due to the extreme sideways viewing angle from the ISS. Such a perspective is termed oblique, as opposed to a nadir view, in which the astronaut is looking directly downwards towards the Earth's surface from the ISS. This highly oblique view also highlights two distinct cloud patterns over the Calabrian interior. Patchy, highly textured cumulus clouds are present at lower altitudes, while grey altostratus clouds are stretched out by prevailing winds at higher altitudes. The Strait of Messina, just visible at image upper right, marks the boundary between the coastline of Italy and the island of Sicily.
 
Image: gray corner     Image: gray corner

Images: All Available Images Low-Resolution 223k
Mission: ISS022  
Roll - Frame: E - 5807
Geographical Name: ITALY  
Features: CALABRIA, CLOUDS, TYRRHENIAN SEA, IONIAN SEA, SUNGLINT  
Center Lat x Lon: 38.5N x 16.1E
Film Exposure:   N=Normal exposure, U=Under exposed, O=Over exposed, F=out of Focus
Percentage of Cloud Cover-CLDP: 50
 
Camera: N2
 
Camera Tilt: HO   LO=Low Oblique, HO=High Oblique, NV=Near Vertical
Camera Focal Length: 400  
 
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: 3263  
 
Date: 20091203   YYYYMMDD
Time: 122243   GMT HHMMSS
Nadir Lat: 46.6N  
Latitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Nadir Lon: 22.3E  
Longitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Sun Azimuth: 209   Clockwise angle in degrees from north to the sun measured at the nadir point
Space Craft Altitude: 180   nautical miles
Sun Elevation: 16   Angle in degrees between the horizon and the sun, measured at the nadir point
Land Views: ISLAND, PENINSULA  
Water Views: STRAIT, SUNGLINT  
Atmosphere Views:  
Man Made Views:  
City Views:  
Photo is not associated with any sequences


NASA
Home Page
JSC
Home Page
JSC Digital
Image Collection
Earth Science &
Remote Sensing

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