Panorama of the Pacific Northwest from Space
This panoramic photograph was taken by an astronaut looking north from the International Space Station. The snow-covered Cascade Range of the U.S. northwest in the foreground gives way to the Rocky Mountains and Coast Mountains in Canada, with Vancouver Island just offshore. Several active volcanoesMount St. Helens, Mount Rainier and Mount Hooddot the Cascades. One of the space stations solar arrays points into the view on the upper left.
Short-lens panoramic views often reveal environmental patterns. The cloud bands of an approaching winter storm (upper left) signal a bout of approaching rain to what is one of the wettest parts of North America. Greener, forested landscapes are evidence of the wet climate experienced by people who live near the coast and on the seaward slopes of the mountains. By contrast, the tan colors of the dry Columbia Basin (lower right) show the rain shadow effect of the Cascades in preventing rain-bearing air masses from reaching the basin. In the foreground, the Columbia River drains the basin, cuts directly through the Cascades at Columbia River Gorge, and then flows into the Pacific Ocean.
Cities typically appear as dull gray zones, but astronauts learn to detect these sometimes difficult targets. In this image, Portland, the Seattle-Tacoma metropolis, and Vancouver are all visible. Mount Rainier lies immediately southeast of Seattle about 65 kilometers (40 miles) away.
Astronaut photograph ISS042-E-294596 was acquired on February 28, 2015, with a Nikon D4 digital camera using a 22 millimeter lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center. The image was taken by a member of the Expedition 43 crew. The image has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Caption by M. Justin Wilkinson, Texas State University, Jacobs Contract at NASA-JSC.
Instrument(s): ISS - Digital Camerahttp://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=86041
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A beautiful picture of the pacific northwest shot from the International Space Station
That is some camera!
Beautiful shot! One of the many reasons I have always wanted to go up into space! Ever since I was a child.
T G D
I know what you mean, I have had the opportunity to take pictures and see beautiful scenery from small planes but the idea of seeing the earth and its beauties from space is mind boggling.
Thanks for the feedback
R W
It really puts size and scope into perspective that is for sure
Glad you liked the article
Some guy in Seattle moved and blurred that part of the image!
Gives real meaning to the song title, 'Beyond the Blue Horizon'.
LOL!
I would have given much in order to have a shot at the astronaut program, but back then uncorrected vision had to be almost perfect and I couldn't even qualify for a flight crew in the Air Force. These days they are more accepting of contacts and there is also vision correction surgery. I was born too soon.
lol
Every kid wanted to be an astronaut when we were young
I thought that might be the case but lacked the photography know how to make the call
Thanks for the insight
Buzz
It does indeed
Thanks for the perspective
Just beautiful RIO...
Kavika
I am glad that you liked the article
Thanks for the feedback