Photo #: STS040-78-91 Date: Jun. 1991 Geographic Region: SAUDI ARABIA Feature: RED SEA-PAN TO NORTHEAST |
STS040-078-091 Hijaz Mountains and Nafud Desert, Saudi Arabia June 1991 The dissected Hijaz Mountains and the northwestern portion the Nafud Desert of Saudi Arabia are visible in this high-oblique, northwest-looking photograph. The barren Hijaz were formed by the uplifting of the eastern flank of the Great Rift Valley that runs through the basin of the Red Sea (west of the range). The narrow coastal plain between the mountains and the sea is extremely desolate. East of the mountains are the orange sands of the Nafud Desert, known for its sudden violent winds that have formed many great crescent-shaped dunes (barely discernible near the north center of the photograph). The desert, occupying a great oval depression, is surrounded by sandstone outcrops that have been eroded into grotesque shapes by these strong winds. Rainfall occurs once or twice yearly in the region. Near the south and southeastern portions of the photograph, dark lava flows from ancient volcanoes stand out. Near the horizon are the Gulf of Suez, the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, the eastern Mediterranean Sea, and the western half of the Syrian Desert. |
Images: | All Available Images Low-Resolution 71k |
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Mission: | STS040 |
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Roll - Frame: | 78 - 91 |
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Geographical Name: | SAUDI ARABIA |
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Features: | RED SEA-PAN TO NORTHEAST |
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Center Lat x Lon: | 27.5N x 38.0E |
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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: | 5 |
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Camera:: | HB |
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Camera Tilt: | HO | LO=Low Oblique, HO=High Oblique, NV=Near Vertical |
Camera Focal Length: | 50 |
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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: | 94 |
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Date: | 19910611 | YYYYMMDD |
Time: | 093417 | GMT HHMMSS |
Nadir Lat: | 23.7N |
Latitude of suborbital point of spacecraft |
Nadir Lon: | 38.9E |
Longitude of suborbital point of spacecraft |
Sun Azimuth: | 257 | Clockwise angle in degrees from north to the sun measured at the nadir point |
Space Craft Altitude: | 154 | nautical miles |
Sun Elevation: | 87 | Angle in degrees between the horizon and the sun, measured at the nadir point |
Land Views: | MOUNTAIN, DESERT, RIFT, FAULT |
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Water Views: | SEA, 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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