Kharg Island is Iran’s primary oil export terminal in the Persian
Gulf. This rocky limestone island is unique because it is one of the
few islands in the Persian Gulf with freshwater which has collected
within the porous limestone. In addition to its commercial and
strategic importance, the freshwater has biological importance,
supporting populations of gazelles. This
high-resolution
photograph taken by astronauts on board the International Space Station
shows detail of the tanker dock facilities, tanks and other
infrastructure. Sunglint on the surface of the water highlights small
amounts of oil on the sea surface and reveals the direction of the local
currents.
ISS005-E-11900, taken 31
August 2002, was provided by the Earth Sciences and Image Analysis
Laboratory at Johnson Space Center. Additional images taken by
astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA-JSC Gateway to Astronaut
Photography of Earth.