This perspective view shows the Panama Canal with the Gulf of Panama
in the foreground and the Caribbean Sea in the distance. The canal runs
northwest-southeast from the city of Colon on the Atlantic side to
Panama City on the Pacific side. Water levels are maintained along its
length by three reservoirs, the largest of which is Lake Gatun, visible
at the right center of the image. Built by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers between 1904 and 1914, the canal extends for approximately 50
miles, and is widely considered to be one of the world’s great
engineering achievements.
This shaded relief perspective view was generated using topographic
data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). A
computer-generated artificial light source illuminates the elevation
data to produce a pattern of light and shadows. Slopes facing the light
appear bright, while those facing away are shaded. On flatter surfaces,
the pattern of light and shadows can reveal subtle features in the
terrain. Colors show the elevation as measured by SRTM, and range from
green at the lowest elevations to white at the highest elevations.
Size: scale varies in this perspective image
Location: 9.0 degrees North latitude, 79.8 degrees West longitude
Orientation: looking West
Original Data Resolution: SRTM 30 meters (99 feet)
Image Courtesy SRTM Team NASA/JPL/NIMA