Photo of Brandberg Massif recorded on January 24, 2024, by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station.This reddish “burning mountain” of granite is the highest point in Namibia.This photograph, taken by a team member aboard the International Space Station (ISS), reveals part of the central Namib Desert just inland from the Atlantic Ocean. The absence of deep soils makes it possible for a variety of colors and textures of various rock types to be observed from the space station. It is provided by the International Space Station (ISS) Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space.
Photo of Brandberg Massif caught on January 24, 2024, by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station.This reddish “burning mountain” of granite is the greatest point in Namibia.This photo, taken by a team member aboard the International Space Station (ISS), reveals part of the central Namib Desert simply inland from the Atlantic Ocean. Brandberg Massif, a circular mass of rock that forms Namibias highest mountain, is visible in the center of the image. The mountain stands 2,573 meters (8,442 feet) above sea level.Cultural and Geological SignificanceThe massif is known by the name “Brandberg” in Afrikaans, Dutch, and German, and “Daures” in the regional Damara language. The mountain is sacred to the San individuals, whose ancestors are believed to have developed the well-known “White Lady” rock painting.The Namib is an ancient seaside desert where soils are non-existent or thin. The lack of deep soils makes it possible for a variety of colors and textures of different rock types to be observed from the space station. Brandberg Massif itself appears in dull red tones. Geologists categorize the mountain as a granitic invasion, similar to the well-known El Capitan massif in Yosemite National Park. All the granitic landscapes in this image were put in place as part of a continental breakup 132 million years ago, when the land masses we now called South America and Africa began to wander apart.Geological History and Human ImpactMuch older rocks are also visible. Geologists believe the gray-toned schist northwest of Brandberg formed 750 to 650 million years earlier, and the red-toned sedimentary rocks to its southwest formed 300 to 250 million years ago. The Messum Crater, the residue of among Earths biggest volcanic eruptions, formed at roughly the exact same time as the continental breakup.Signs of human activity are also noticeable. The town of Uis, fixated a tin mine, serves as a jumping-off point for tourists visiting rock paintings and archeological websites in the location, specifically in the Tsisab Gorge.Astronaut picture ISS070-E-76460 was obtained on January 21, 2024, with a Nikon D5 digital cam utilizing a focal length of 170 millimeters. It is provided by the International Space Station (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 70 team. The image has actually been cropped and boosted 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 photos of Earth that will be of the greatest value to researchers and the general public, and to make those images easily available on the Internet. Caption by Justin Wilkinson, Texas State University, JETS Contract at NASA-JSC.