Posted on: 2015-12-31 18:13:17 by davidof

Alps from Space

This is a great picture taken of the Alps by British astronaut Tim Peake on the 27th of December from the International Space Station. I've added a few towns so you can orientate yourself. The large white mass in the upper left quadrant is low cloud over the northern Italian plain.

In the distance is the Mediterranean sea and if you follow the right hand size of the image up the first mountain range is the Chartreuse in France. There is not much snow cover. Just above is the Gresivaudan valley, Belledonne and the Grandes Rousses (alpe d'Huez). To the south the Ecrins and you can see just how little snow cover there is. 70 to 90% down on a normal for the time of year. Just south of Albertville is the long, crescent shaped valley of the Maurienne that ends at Bonneval. Directly above the A in Alberville is the Tarentaise and you can see the Belleville valley (Val Thorens) and the Three Valleys ski area. Following the Tarentaise north is la Plagne and finally where it nearly links up with the Maurienne is the Col de l'Iseran. Geneva is in fog (as usual) and there is the Arve valley and le Mont Blanc. At the other end of lake Geneva is the Swiss Valais and the Eiger range to the south. You can clearly see the Alps south of Switzerland are very dry.

Full size image from Nasa: http://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/the-alps-in-winter


Alps from Space

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