Astronauts aboard the International Space Station captured this night view of the Greek capital of Athens, which sits on the complex coastline of the Attica Peninsula in southern Greece. Streets wind through the city like illuminated rivers, and the city's sprawl stretches all the way to the coast. Strong contrasts of light and dark reveal the intersection of the Greek capital city with its natural areas.

The picture above is a night view of Athens, Greece, taken by astronauts on the International Space Station on September 17, 2022.

Urban lighting and geography

In nighttime photos taken from above, where urban development meets a body of water or rugged, undeveloped terrain, there is often a sharp transition from illuminated to unlit areas. In this photo, lighting breaks off sharply at the southern edge of Athens where it meets the Saronic Gulf. Light levels northwest of Athens are also drastically reduced by the Parnita Mountains. Likewise, the lack of light between the city and Athens International Airport is caused by the rugged terrain of the Himetus Mountains. The mountain range is forested, home to archaeological sites and recreational areas.

The history and modern night view of Athens

The ancient and modern elements of Athens also contrast sharply at night. Yellow and orange lights indicate older high-pressure sodium lighting. Bright white lights indicate areas illuminated using newer LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology. Small dark patches in the center city surround some of the major ancient landmarks from the fifth century BC, including the Acropolis, the Parthenon and the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

The photo of ISS067-E-372936 taken by the astronaut was taken with a Nikon D5 digital camera on September 17, 2022, with a focal length of 180 mm. This image was provided by the International Space Station Crew Earth Observation Facility and the Johnson Space Center Earth Science and Remote Sensing Division. This image was taken by Expedition 67 crew members. Images are cropped and enhanced to improve contrast and remove lens artifacts.

The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the International Space Station National Laboratory to help astronauts take photos of Earth that are most valuable to scientists and the public and make these images freely available on the Internet. Image caption by Sara Schmidt, Geological Control Systems, NASA-JSCJETSII contract.

Compiled source: ScitechDaily