Earth from Space - Image Information


	Image Information

Display a Screen Layout for Printing


			Photo #: STS030-87-42 Date: May 1989 Geographic Region: NIGER Feature: AIR MOUNTAINS



	STS030-87-42 Northeastern Air Mountains, Niger May 1989 The Air Mountains of north-central Niger terminate abruptly at the western edge of the Tenere Desert. This area of Niger, also known as the Air Plateau, is composed of tilted sedimentary rocks and striking ring complexes of volcanic rocks. These dark-colored rock surfaces contrast dramatically with the surrounding light-colored, sand-covered plains that lie approximately 1000 feet (300 meters) above sea level. The elevations of the Air Plateau vary from 1500 feet (450 meters) to over 5000 feet (1500 meters) above sea level. This part of the Sahara Desert was proclaimed "Switzerland of the Desert" by a German explorer because this region offers a welcome contrast to the overwhelming monotony of the sand seas that abound in the Sahara. The aridity of the region offers a classic environment for monitoring the effects of wind erosion. A few nomadic people live in some of the valleys, but their numbers have been constantly decreasing for several decades. Even the recent discovery of uranium in this region may not prove to be enough inducement to reverse the decreasing population trend.

Images:	All Available Images Low-Resolution 136k
Mission:	STS030
Roll - Frame:	87 - 42
Geographical Name:	NIGER
Features:	AIR MOUNTAINS
Center Lat x Lon:	19.0N x 9.0E
Film Exposure:	N	N=Normal exposure, U=Under exposed, O=Over exposed, F=out of Focus
Percentage of Cloud Cover-CLDP:	0
Camera:	HB
Camera Tilt:	41	LO=Low Oblique, HO=High Oblique, NV=Near Vertical
Camera Focal Length:	250
Nadir to Photo Center Direction:	SE	The direction from the nadir to the center point, N=North, S=South, E=East, W=West
Stereo?:	N	Y=Yes there is an adjacent picture of the same area, N=No there isn't
Orbit Number:	46
Date:	19890507	YYYYMMDD
Time:	150039	GMT HHMMSS
Nadir Lat:	20.4N	Latitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Nadir Lon:	7.0E	Longitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Sun Azimuth:	275	Clockwise angle in degrees from north to the sun measured at the nadir point
Space Craft Altitude:	168	nautical miles
Sun Elevation:	39	Angle in degrees between the horizon and the sun, measured at the nadir point
Land Views:	DESERT, DUNE, MOUNTAIN, PLATEAU, VOLCANO
Water Views:
Atmosphere Views:
Man Made Views:
City Views:

Photo is not associated with any sequences

NASA
Home Page

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