Five-Year-Old Icebergs near South Georgia Island

These photographs, taken from the International Space Station in January, 2004, show two pieces of a massive iceberg that broke off from the Ronne Ice Shelf in October, 1998. The pieces of iceberg A-38 have floated relatively close to South Georgia Island. After 5 years and 3 months adrift, they are approximately 1,500 nautical miles from their origin. In the oblique image, taken a few minutes later, the cloud pattern reveals the impact of the mountainous islands on the local wind field. At this time, the icebergs are sheltered in the lee side of the island.

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Both photographs were taken from the International Space Station using a Kodak DCS760 digital camera and a 50-mm lens on January 6, 2004. ISS008-E-12107 was taken first, and ISS008-E-12109 was taken 2 minutes and 37 seconds later. Details provided by Susan Runco, Earth Observations Laboratory, Johnson Space Center. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory 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.

Published January 26, 2004
Data acquired January 6, 2004

Source:

ISS > Digital Camera

Collection:

Astronaut Photography