An Astronaut's View of Luzon, Philippines

(SPEECH)

[GENTLE MUSIC]

 

(DESCRIPTION)

Text, Earth Watch, Exploring the blue planet by satellite. Earth Observatory. Earth Observatory dot nasa dot gov. Operational Land Imager, Landsat 8 satellite. An Astronaut's View of Luzon, Philippines. February 14, 2019.

 

An astronaut photo from the International Space Station shows Luzon, the largest and most populous of the thousands of islands that make up the Philippines.

 

The image is oriented so that North points toward the lower right portion of the image. The Philippine Sea is labeled on the westward side of Luzon. Manila is labeled in the southern portion of Luzon. Text, This view toward the southeast captures a number of the island's prominent features. Several mountain ranges, including the Cordillera Central, the island's tallest and longest range, trend north-south across the island, with broad plains and river valleys in between.

 

Cordillera Central is labeled on the northern aspect of Luzon. Mount Pinatubo is labeled on the eastern portion of Luzon. Text, The Zambales Range in Western Luzon includes Mount Pinatubo, one of many volcanoes in the region.

 

Brown mud and debris flows from Pinatubo's 1991 eruption extend down in a pinwheel like pattern from the volcano's peak.

 

The volcanoes are visible evidence for the subduction zones located on either side of the Philippine island chain, which put large populations of people at risk from earthquakes as well as volcanic hazards.

 

Smoke is labeled on the northeast side of Luzon. Text, In this view, smoke can be seen blowing west off the Cordillera Central.

 

Most of the fires in the Cordillera are likely a result of slash-and-burn farming and other human activities. To learn more, goto earth observatory dot nasa dot gov.