A catalog of NASA images and animations of our home planet

• Credit:

  Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC

This MODIS image from April 12, 2002, shows the dramatic impact the Andes Mountains in South America have on rainfall and vegetation. At left is southernmost Chile, which appears quite lush, while Argentina (Patagonia) appears dry and brown. Bright turquoise lakes are the result of extremely fine sediment ground up by mountain glaciers and deposited in the lakes.

Images & Animations

• Webmaster: Paul Przyborski
• NASA Official: Steven E. Platnick
• Database Updated: May 24, 2013