South Georgia Island

Credit: Jeff Schmaltz; MODIS team; NASA, Posted on: Wednesday, 22 November 2006, 07:58 CST Download full size image

This MODIS Terra image, captured November 12, 2006, shows the 100 mile long South Georgia Island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, south east of the tip of South America. This island and the others in a nearby chain (the South Sandwich Islands) are inhospital and have no native population.

Currently a territory of the UK, the island's population consists of scientists and government personnel, reindeer (introduced in the earthly 20th century), and a coloy of King Penguins.

South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains. There are over 11 peaks over 200 meteres high, including Mount Paget at 2934 meters.

The slopes of the mountains are carved out with deep glacier-filled gorges. Fortuna Glacier is the largest. As you can see from the MODIS image, the ice and snow make the island appear covered in white!

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