A catalog of NASA images and animations of our home planet

• Credit:

  Jeff Schmaltz

This MODIS image shows the country of South Africa. One of the most prominent features is the Cape of Good Hope, which is the little hook of land jutting out from the southern edge of South Africa, right in the center of the image. The Cape was first rounded by Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias in 1488, who called it the Cape of Storms. It was later named the Cape of Good Hope by John II of Portugal; the first rounding of the Cape was a major step for Europeans looking for a trade route to the Far East.

Images & Animations

• Webmaster: Paul Przyborski
• NASA Official: Steven E. Platnick
• Database Updated: May 7, 2013