The Libyan Desert, part of the larger Sahara Desert, is typically pointed out as a Mars analogue– an area of Earth that has comparable features to the Red Planet. It is offered by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to assist astronauts take images of Earth that will be of the greatest value to researchers and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Extra images taken by cosmonauts and astronauts can be seen at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth.
ISS External High-Definition Camera (EHDC) photo ISS064-E-29444 was gotten on February 5, 2021, with a D4 Electronic Still Camera utilizing a focal length of 56 millimeters. It is supplied by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space. The image was taken by an externally-mounted video camera on the ISS throughout Expedition 64. The image has actually been cropped and improved to enhance contrast, and lens artifacts have actually been eliminated. The International Space Station Program supports the lab as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take images of Earth that will be of the biggest value to researchers and the public, and to make those images easily available on the Internet. Extra images taken by cosmonauts and astronauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Caption by Alex Stoken, Jacobs, JETS Contract at NASA-JSC.
February 5, 2021
The Libyan Desert is frequently mentioned as a Mars analogue.
The vast Libyan Desert stretches toward the Mediterranean Sea, which itself fades into the horizon of this photo. This extremely oblique view of Northern Africa was taken by an External High-Definition Camera (EHDC) on the International Space Station (ISS). The scorched reds and oranges of the desert and the dark-toned mountains and plateaus contrast dramatically with the intense blues of the sea and horizon; all stand apart versus the deep black of area. From this viewpoint, Earth looks otherworldly. Were it not for the distinct blue of the Mediterranean in the range, it might be misinterpreted for Mars or the myriad desert worlds of sci-fi.
The Libyan Desert, part of the bigger Sahara Desert, is frequently cited as a Mars analogue– a location of Earth that has comparable features to the Red Planet. It is the most dry part of the Sahara, and mostly uninhabited. The included landscape is a mosaic of windswept dunes and darker sandstone plateaus comprising the Fezzan region of Libya.
The EHDC is one of the ground-controlled cams used to keep an eye on objective status on the ISS. When the camera is Earth-facing, it signs up with the many Earth-observing sensors that are part of the ISS mission.
By NASA Earth Observatory
December 27, 2021
