Earth from Space - Image Information


LOCATION Direction Photo #: ISS065-E-111745 Date: Jun. 2021
Geographic Region: FRANCE
Feature: NOIRMOUTIER, ISLAND, BAY OF BISCAY


 

An astronaut onboard the International Space Station (ISS) shot this photograph of the northwestern portion of Noirmoutier, a small tidal island about 20 kilometers (12 miles) long on the western coast of France. Taken at approximately 1:00 p.m. local time, the image highlights exposed mudflats, salt marshes, and sand dunes visible at low tide, as well as the small communities and farms of the island.

Access to Noirmoutier historically required well-timed traversing of the Passage du Gois (out of the frame to the southeast), a causeway linking the island to the mainland. A bridge was constructed in 1971 to permit travel during high tide, which still floods the lowland passage twice a day. Meanwhile, several boats leave white wakes off the north and west side of the island as they travel to and from the deep-water fishing port at L’Herbaudiere.

The exposed mudflats surrounding the island are teeming with shellfish. Oyster aquaculture is widespread in the bay, and several of the associated fish-farming structures stand out along the coast during low tide.

Locals also reap another sort of harvest from the salt marshes. Salt, or “white gold,” is collected from a series of channels and pools as the water evaporates in the summer months.



Images: All Available Images Low-Resolution 451k
Mission: ISS065  
Roll - Frame: E - 111745
Geographical Name: FRANCE  
Features: NOIRMOUTIER, ISLAND, BAY OF BISCAY  
Center Lat x Lon: 47.0N x 2.2W
Film Exposure:   N=Normal exposure, U=Under exposed, O=Over exposed, F=out of Focus
Percentage of Cloud Cover-CLDP: 10
 
Camera:: N8
 
Camera Tilt: 50   LO=Low Oblique, HO=High Oblique, NV=Near Vertical
Camera Focal Length: 1150  
 
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: 20210612   YYYYMMDD
Time: 105220   GMT HHMMSS
Nadir Lat: 47.8N  
Latitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Nadir Lon: 2.2E  
Longitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Sun Azimuth: 149   Clockwise angle in degrees from north to the sun measured at the nadir point
Space Craft Altitude: 222   nautical miles
Sun Elevation: 63   Angle in degrees between the horizon and the sun, measured at the nadir point
Land Views:  
Water Views:  
Atmosphere Views:  
Man Made Views:  
City Views:  

Photo is not associated with any sequences


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