South Africa

Credit: Jeff Schmaltz; MODIS team; NASA, Posted on: Tuesday, 21 August 2007, 06:12 CDT Download full size image

A clear day over South Africa gave the MODIS on the Aqua satellite this view on August 12, 2007. The southern tip of the country shows green vegetation which contrasts with mountains that separate the coast from the interior.

This coastal region is where the hook-shaped Cape of Good Hope curves into the Atlantic Ocean. It is a common misconception that this is the southernmost tip of Africa. As you can see on this satellite image it is Cape Agulhas, just to the west of Good Hope, that extends further south by about 90 miles. Nevertheless, the Cape of Good Hope has historical significance as a major landmark on the route clipper ships used to use on their way to the "Far East".

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