NASA Photo ID: STS057-73-075 File Name: 10073298.jpg
Film Type: 70mm Date Taken: 07/01/93
Title: STS-57 Earth observation of the Eastern Mediterranean, Nile River, Asia Minor
Description:
STS-57 Earth observation of the Eastern Mediterranean. From a high vantage
point over the Nile River, this north-looking view shows the eastern
Mediterranean and the entire landmass of Asia Minor, with the Black Sea
dimly visible at the horizon. Many of the Greek islands can be seen in
the Aegean Sea (top left), off the coast of Asia Minor. Cyprus is visible
under atmospheric dust in the northeastern corner of the Mediterranean.
The dust cloud covers the east end of the Mediterranean, its western edge
demarcated by a line that cuts the center of the Nile Delta. This dust
cloud originated far to the west, in Algeria, and moved northeast. A gyre
of clouds in the southeast corner of the Mediterranean indicates a
complementary counterclockwise (cyclonic) circulation of air. The
Euphrates River appears as a thin green line (upper right) in the yellow
Syrian desert just south of the mountains of Turkey. The Dead Sea (lower
right) lies in a rift valley which extends north into Turkey and south
thousands of miles down the Gulf of Aqaba, the Red Sea, and on through
East Africa. The strait international boundary between Israel and Egypt
(where the coastline angles) is clear in this view, marked by thicker
vegetation on the Israeli side of the border. The green delta of the Nile
River appears in the foreground with Cairo seen as a gray area at the apex
of the triangle. Most of Egypt's 52 million inhabitants live in the
delta. On the east side of the delta, the Suez Canal is visible. On the
western corner of the delta lies the ancient city of Alexandria. The World
War II battlesite El Alamein lies on the coast.
Subject terms:
CYPRUS
DELTAS
EARTH OBSERVATIONS (FROM SPACE)
EGYPT
ENDEAVOUR (ORBITER)
GREECE
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
RIVERS
STS-57
TURKEY
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