Earth from Space - Image Information


LOCATION Direction Photo #: ISS042-E-295032 Date: Feb. 2015
Geographic Region: KAZAKHSTAN
Feature: L. ISSYK KUL, TIEN SHAN MTS., L. KAPCHAGAY


IMAGE
 
Lake Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia

This image was taken as astronauts aboard the International Space Station flew over one of the great mountain ranges of central Asia, the Tien Shan. Lake Issyk Kul (image lower left--182 km long) is among the largest lakes in the world; second largest mountain lake behind Lake Titicaca in South America. The lighter blue tone of the Kapchagay reservoir (image top right) reveals that it is much shallower than the dark blue Issyk Kul. Between the lakes, Almaty, capital city of Kazakhstan, is barely visible on the lower flanks of the mountains. Compared with the atmospheric clarity over the region, a dull gray smog blanket marks the city on this winter day.

Lake Issyk Kul is a Ramsar Wetland site of globally significant biodiversity and forms part of the Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve. It has wider historical interest as a way station on one branch of the Silk Road, the ancient overland trade route between Europe and the Far East. Significant ruins dot the shores. Some historians have argued that this part of central Asia was the point of origin for the Black Death that then moved along the Silk Road to Europe and Asia during the early and mid-14th century.


Images: All Available Images Low-Resolution 134k
Mission: ISS042  
Roll - Frame: E - 295032
Geographical Name: KAZAKHSTAN  
Features: L. ISSYK KUL, TIEN SHAN MTS., L. KAPCHAGAY  
Center Lat x Lon: 43.5N x 77.5E
Film Exposure:   N=Normal exposure, U=Under exposed, O=Over exposed, F=out of Focus
Percentage of Cloud Cover-CLDP: 10
 
Camera:: N6
 
Camera Tilt: 19   LO=Low Oblique, HO=High Oblique, NV=Near Vertical
Camera Focal Length: 50  
 
Nadir to Photo Center Direction: W   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:  
 
Date: 20150228   YYYYMMDD
Time: 105349   GMT HHMMSS
Nadir Lat: 43.0N  
Latitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Nadir Lon: 78.6E  
Longitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Sun Azimuth: 242   Clockwise angle in degrees from north to the sun measured at the nadir point
Space Craft Altitude: 213   nautical miles
Sun Elevation: 16   Angle in degrees between the horizon and the sun, measured at the nadir point
Land Views: MOUNTAIN  
Water Views: LAKE, RESERVOIR  
Atmosphere Views: SMOG  
Man Made Views:  
City Views: ALMATY  

Photo is not associated with any sequences


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