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  Image: Geographic Location Direction Photo #: STS056-75-15 Date: Apr. 1993
Geographic Region: PERU
Feature: SECHURA DESERT, LAKES

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  STS056-075-015 Sechura Desert, Peru April 1993
The Sechura Desert of northwestern Peru is typical of the hyperarid conditions that exist along the west coast of South America where the cold Humboldt (Peruvian) Current generates very little precipitation, especially along the northern coast of Chile and the entire coast of Peru. The tan landscape is almost devoid of any vegetation, except for limited areas where sufficient moisture exists to sustain some growth. The faint wind streaks show the prevailing southwest-to-northeast wind throughout the desert. A low mountain [1580 feet (480 meters)] is barely visible on the peninsula that juts into the cold Pacific Ocean. The darker area in the desert southeast of Sechura Bay appears to be an oasis area where possibly a hardy variety of cotton is grown with the use of irrigation. This photograph demonstrates the importance of elevation by the increase in vegetative cover (darker area along the eastern side of the photograph) as the land begins its ascent into the Andes Mountains. The west-flowing Cascajal River exits the Andes Mountains, begins its trek across the Sechura Desert, and apparently disappears beneath the sandy soil of the desert before reaching the cultivated field near the coast. The south-flowing Piura River, partially obscured by clouds, can also be seen as it traverses the desert. Both of these rivers flow only when there is sufficient icemelt or snowmelt from the Andes Mountains or precipitation.
 
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Images: All Available Images Low-Resolution 116k
Mission: STS056  
Roll - Frame: 75 - 15
Geographical Name: PERU  
Features: SECHURA DESERT, LAKES  
Center Lat x Lon: 5.5S x 80.5W
Film Exposure: N   N=Normal exposure, U=Under exposed, O=Over exposed, F=out of Focus
Percentage of Cloud Cover-CLDP: 40
 
Camera: HB
 
Camera Tilt: 23   LO=Low Oblique, HO=High Oblique, NV=Near Vertical
Camera Focal Length: 100  
 
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   Y=Yes there is an adjacent picture of the same area, N=No there isn't
Orbit Number: 39  
 
Date: 19930410   YYYYMMDD
Time: 152648   GMT HHMMSS
Nadir Lat: 5S  
Latitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Nadir Lon: 79.5W  
Longitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Sun Azimuth: 65   Clockwise angle in degrees from north to the sun measured at the nadir point
Space Craft Altitude: 160   nautical miles
Sun Elevation: 59   Angle in degrees between the horizon and the sun, measured at the nadir point
Land Views: DESERT, COAST, MOUNTAIN, FOREST  
Water Views: OCEAN, RIVER, BAY  
Atmosphere Views:  
Man Made Views: AGRICULTURE  
City Views:  
Photo is not associated with any sequences


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