But it\u2019s also a great platform for photography.<\/p>
More Earth from space<\/strong><\/h3>- Grand Canyon from space<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li>
- Aurora from space<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li>
- Northeast USA from space<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li>
- April 2024 eclipse from space<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li><\/ul><\/div>
Snow at the Grand Canyon, as seen from space. Credit: SS Crew Earth Observations Facility\/Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>Astronauts of many nations have used their time on the ISS to capture fantastic shots of our planet from space, including of the Great Barrier Reef.<\/p>
In October 2015, one member of the Expedition 45 crew took this amazing shot of a stretch of the Great Barrier Reef, near the Whitsunday Islands, using a Nikon D4 camera and a 1150mm lens.<\/p>![\"Image](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/09\/great-barrier-reef-from-space-01.jpg\")
Great Barrier Reef near Whitsunday Islands, captured by an astronaut on the International Space Station, 12 October 2015. Click to expand. Credit: NASA, M. Justin Wilkinson, Texas State U., Jacobs Contract at NASA-JSC<\/figcaption><\/figure>The image above shows an area spanning about 15km (10mi), but that\u2019s just a tiny fraction of a system that stretches some 2,300km (1,700mi) from end to end and covers an area of around 344,000km2 (133,000mi2).<\/p>
As the image reveals, the Great Barrier Reef isn\u2019t a single object, but a system comprising over 2,900 individual reefs and over 900 small islands. The image above shows just three of those reefs.<\/p>
They can be seen clearly because the water within the lagoons they form, being shallow,\u00a0shows up a much lighter blue then the deeper water in the surrounding ocean.<\/p>
A slightly more complete picture of the Great Barrier Reef is seen in this image by NASA\u2019s Envisat satellite from 2008.<\/p>![\"Great](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/09\/great-barrier-reef-from-space-02.jpg\")
Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Queensland, Australia, captured by the Envisat satellite on 18 May 2008. Click to expand. Credit: ESA<\/figcaption><\/figure>Protecting the Great Barrier Reef<\/strong><\/h2>Given its vast size, it\u2019s no surprise the Great Barrier Reef is home to a dazzling array of marine wildlife.<\/p>
Including over 1,600 different species of fish and over 30 species of whales and dolphins.<\/p>
And let\u2019s not forget that coral is, itself, an animal.<\/p>
A piece of coral on a shelf might look like a rock; coral growing under the sea may look like plants<\/p>
But coral reefs are vast colonies of tiny little creatures called coral polyps, which are closely related to jellyfish.<\/p>![\"True](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/09\/GettyImages-129380735.jpg\")
True colour satellite image of the Great Barrier Reef, in the Coral Sea off the cost of Queensland, northeast Australia. Captured 18 July 1991 using LANDSAT data. Click to expand. Photo by Planet Observer\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>Sadly, the reef is under threat from pollution and climate change. <\/p>
Efforts have been made to mitigate the situation \u2013 including the establishment of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority in 1975, and the reef being declared a World Heritage Site.<\/p>
Environmentalists warn however, that more action needs to be taken if we are to avoid a huge species die-off.<\/p>![\"The](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/09\/great-barrier-reef-from-space-03.jpg\")
The Great Barrier Reef captured by astronaut Kjell Lindgren from the International Space Station. Click to expand. Credit: NASA<\/figcaption><\/figure>It has, after all, happened before: the geological record shows that there has been a reef in this area for around 600,000 years, but that the current, living reef is a mere 20,000 years of age.<\/p>
Hopefully we, as a species, get our act together before another catastrophe occurs, because the loss of the reef would be a catastrophe.<\/p>
You can\u2019t just kill off thousands of marine species and not expect consequences higher up the food chain!<\/p>
The Great Barrier Reef from space is a beautiful thing, as the picture above taken by astronaut Kjell Lindgren shows.<\/p>
Astronauts of many nations have used their time on the ISS to capture fantastic shots of our planet from space, including of the Great Barrier Reef.<\/p>
In October 2015, one member of the Expedition 45 crew took this amazing shot of a stretch of the Great Barrier Reef, near the Whitsunday Islands, using a Nikon D4 camera and a 1150mm lens.<\/p> The image above shows an area spanning about 15km (10mi), but that\u2019s just a tiny fraction of a system that stretches some 2,300km (1,700mi) from end to end and covers an area of around 344,000km2 (133,000mi2).<\/p> As the image reveals, the Great Barrier Reef isn\u2019t a single object, but a system comprising over 2,900 individual reefs and over 900 small islands. The image above shows just three of those reefs.<\/p> They can be seen clearly because the water within the lagoons they form, being shallow,\u00a0shows up a much lighter blue then the deeper water in the surrounding ocean.<\/p> A slightly more complete picture of the Great Barrier Reef is seen in this image by NASA\u2019s Envisat satellite from 2008.<\/p> Given its vast size, it\u2019s no surprise the Great Barrier Reef is home to a dazzling array of marine wildlife.<\/p> Including over 1,600 different species of fish and over 30 species of whales and dolphins.<\/p> And let\u2019s not forget that coral is, itself, an animal.<\/p> A piece of coral on a shelf might look like a rock; coral growing under the sea may look like plants<\/p> But coral reefs are vast colonies of tiny little creatures called coral polyps, which are closely related to jellyfish.<\/p> Sadly, the reef is under threat from pollution and climate change. <\/p> Efforts have been made to mitigate the situation \u2013 including the establishment of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority in 1975, and the reef being declared a World Heritage Site.<\/p> Environmentalists warn however, that more action needs to be taken if we are to avoid a huge species die-off.<\/p> It has, after all, happened before: the geological record shows that there has been a reef in this area for around 600,000 years, but that the current, living reef is a mere 20,000 years of age.<\/p> Hopefully we, as a species, get our act together before another catastrophe occurs, because the loss of the reef would be a catastrophe.<\/p> You can\u2019t just kill off thousands of marine species and not expect consequences higher up the food chain!<\/p> The Great Barrier Reef from space is a beautiful thing, as the picture above taken by astronaut Kjell Lindgren shows.<\/p>Protecting the Great Barrier Reef<\/strong><\/h2>