Start Date: End Date: Published Date Data Date
Data acquired September 18, 2005 1100 x 1400 373 KB - JPEG
Data acquired September 18, 2005 2200 x 2800 1 MB Bytes - JPEG
Data acquired September 18, 2005 4400 x 5600 4 MB - JPEG
Like a string of shining aquamarine gems, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef glitters against the deep blue background of the Coral Sea. The largest natural feature on Earth, the Great Barrier Reef is a series of reefs that contain 400 types of coral and 1,500 species of fish. Only the southern portion of the 2,300 kilometer-long reef is visible in this photo-like image.
The image was taken by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite on September 18, 2005. Along the Queensland coast of northeastern Australia, MODIS detected several fires, the largest of which are sending plumes of smoke towards the ocean. The fires have been marked with red dots.
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC
Published September 19, 2005 Data acquired September 18, 2005