ISS065-E-23018
| NASA Photo ID | ISS065-E-23018 |
| Focal Length | 1150mm |
| Date taken | 2021.05.06 |
| Time taken | 22:37:54 GMT |
5011 x 3341 pixels 720 x 480 pixels 5568 x 3712 pixels 640 x 427 pixels
Photo center point: 48.4° N, 96.1° E
Photo center point by machine learning:
Country or Geographic Name: | MONGOLIA |
Features: | ULAAGCHIIN KHAR LAKE, FROZEN LAKE, DUNES |
| Features Found Using Machine Learning: | |
Cloud Cover Percentage: | 10 (1-10)% |
Sun Elevation Angle: | 5° |
Sun Azimuth: | 70° |
Camera: | Nikon D5 Electronic Still Camera |
Focal Length: | 1150mm |
Camera Tilt: | 21 degrees |
Format: | 5568E: 5568 x 3712 pixel CMOS sensor, 35.9 x 23.9 mm, total pixels: 21.33 million, Nikon FX format |
Film Exposure: | |
| Additional Information | |
| Width | Height | Annotated | Cropped | Purpose | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5011 pixels | 3341 pixels | Yes | No | Download Image | |
| 720 pixels | 480 pixels | Yes | No | Download Image | |
| 5568 pixels | 3712 pixels | No | No | Download Image | |
| 640 pixels | 427 pixels | No | No | Download Image |
Long shadows creep across Ulaagchinii Khar Nuur in this sunrise photo taken from the International Space Station by an astronaut. The shadows accentuate the topography in and around the lake, including the Big and Small Avgash Islands. Cracks permeate the ice-covered surface of the lake, and dunes skirt the shore. The cold, flat ice surface contrasts with the distinctive, rolling waves of sand dunes. While typically associated with hot climates, dunes can form in all deserts, including the cold steppe of western Mongolia.
Though located in Mongolia's Great Lakes Depression, the water surface of Khar Nuur Lake is still more than 1900 meters (6,400 feet) above sea level. Due to the high altitude and location, temperatures in the freshwater lake (//mongolija.upese.lt/index.php/en/lakes) dip below freezing for most of the winter months. Situated in central Asia between China and Russia, Mongolia sits in the subarctic zone where cold air from Siberia extends winter climate patterns well into April.
Khar Nuur is within the Ulaagchinii Khar National Park, which is part of the Eurasian Steppe that stretches from eastern Europe almost to the Pacific Ocean. Steppe regions are home to many vulnerable animals, including a variety of threatened bird species (//datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ulaagchinii-khar-lake-iba-mongolia) protected within Ulaagchinii Khar.
