Image: Reefs of New Caledonia from ISS, September 9, 2020

Description: Reefs of New Caledonia from ISS. While orbiting over the southwestern Pacific Ocean, an astronaut onboard the International Space Station (ISS) photographed this fringing coral reef on the south coast of New Caledonia. The reef separates the light blue shallows of the lagoon from the darker, deeper Pacific Ocean. Tan hues tinge the lagoon where sediment flows in from uplands to the north-northeast. Situated about 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) east of Australia, New Caledonia is a French overseas territory comprised of Grande Terre and other smaller islands. The archipelago spans a land area of about 19,000 square kilometers (7,300 square miles) and is home to almost 300,000 people. The reefs surrounding Grande Terre and the islands of New Caledonia stretch a combined length of 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles). Known for its varying underwater structures, the system includes coral islands, double reef barriers, and offshore reefs. New Caledonia’s reefs are home to an estimated 9,300 marine species and almost 500 species of coral. The lagoons promote biodiversity by supporting large predators (including sharks), nesting seabirds, mangroves, and seagrasses. In 2008, the reefs and lagoons were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List because of their ecological value and geographic uniqueness. Astronaut photograph ISS063-E-87740 was acquired on September 9, 2020, with a Nikon D5 digital camera using a focal length of 800 millimeters.
Title: Reefs of New Caledonia from ISS, September 9, 2020
Credit: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/149880/reefs-of-new-caledonia
Author: NASA Earth Observatory
Permission: Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse This file is in the public domain in the United States because it was solely created by NASA. NASA copyright policy states that "NASA material is not protected by copyright unless noted". (See Template:PD-USGov, NASA copyright policy page or JPL Image Use Policy.) Warnings: Use of NASA logos, insignia and emblems is restricted per U.S. law 14 CFR 1221. The NASA website hosts a large number of images from the Soviet/Russian space agency, and other non-American space agencies. These are not necessarily in the public domain. Materials based on Hubble Space Telescope data may be copyrighted if they are not explicitly produced by the STScI.[1] See also Template:PD-Hubble and Template:Cc-Hubble. The SOHO (ESA & NASA) joint project implies that all materials created by its probe are copyrighted and require permission for commercial non-educational use. [2] Images featured on the Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) web site may be copyrighted. [3] The National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) site has been known to host copyrighted content. Its photo gallery FAQ states that all of the images in the photo gallery are in the public domain "Unless otherwise noted."
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No