Photo #: STS033-84-84 Date: Nov. 1989 Geographic Region: DJIBOUTI Feature: KHARAB BAY-LAKE ASAL |
STS033-084-084 Lake Assal, Djibouti November 1989 This near-vertical photograph shows Lake Assal, the third lowest surface in the world (excluding the ocean basins) and the lowest point in Africa at 510 feet (155 meters) below sea level. Lake Assal sits in a rift valley, a depression where the earth's crust has split and adjacent areas have moved with respect to one another. The lake is located in the Danakil Desert near the western end of the Gulf of Aden. Because Lake Assal has no outlet, it is ten times saltier than the ocean and is the most saline body of water in the world. The evaporation rate of Lake Assal is very high because summer temperatures sometimes reach 125F (52C), and are accompanied by strong dry winds. The surrounding plain (visible on the image to the right of the lake), once the lake floor, is a glistering expanse of salt. The region surrounding the lake is mostly a stony desert with isolated plateaus and highlands. Lava flows from an old volcano are visible just to the left near the shore of the lake. |
Images: | All Available Images Low-Resolution 135k |
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Mission: | STS033 |
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Roll - Frame: | 84 - 84 |
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Geographical Name: | DJIBOUTI |
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Features: | KHARAB BAY-LAKE ASAL |
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Center Lat x Lon: | 11.5N x 42.5E |
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Film Exposure: | N | N=Normal exposure, U=Under exposed, O=Over exposed, F=out of Focus |
Percentage of Cloud Cover-CLDP: | 15 |
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Camera:: | HB |
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Camera Tilt: | 4 | LO=Low Oblique, HO=High Oblique, NV=Near Vertical |
Camera Focal Length: | 250 |
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Nadir to Photo Center Direction: | N | 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 |
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Date: | 19891125 | YYYYMMDD |
Time: | 102811 | GMT HHMMSS |
Nadir Lat: | 11.3N |
Latitude of suborbital point of spacecraft |
Nadir Lon: | 42.5E |
Longitude of suborbital point of spacecraft |
Sun Azimuth: | 215 | Clockwise angle in degrees from north to the sun measured at the nadir point |
Space Craft Altitude: | 153 | nautical miles |
Sun Elevation: | 51 | Angle in degrees between the horizon and the sun, measured at the nadir point |
Land Views: | FAULT, ESCARPMENT, DESERT, RIFT, VOLCANO |
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Water Views: | GULF |
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Atmosphere Views: | |
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Man Made Views: | |
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City Views: | |
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Photo is not associated with any sequences |
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