UPDATE — This image shows part of Wadi Rum in Jordan, a popular place for filming movies set on Mars. See the full image and story in our August 28 Image of the Day. Congratulations to Dr. Nadia Asad and Holger Wille for being some of the first readers to solve the puzzler.
Every month on Earth Matters, we offer a puzzling satellite image. The August 2021 puzzler is above. Your challenge is to use the comments section to tell us what we are looking at, where it is, and why it is interesting.
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Lat: 29°39’20.59″N, Long: 35°27’2.07″E. Wadi Rum (Valley of the Moon) Jordan. Declared as Protected Area by UNESCO, described as “The 74,000-hectare property, inscribed as a mixed natural and cultural site, is situated in southern Jordan, near the border with Saudi Arabia. It features a varied desert landscape consisting of a range of narrow gorges, natural arches, towering cliffs, ramps, massive landslides and caverns. Petroglyphs, inscriptions and archaeological remains in the site testify to 12,000 years of human occupation and interaction with the natural environment. The combination of 25,000 rock carvings with 20,000 inscriptions trace the evolution of human thought and the early development of the alphabet. The site illustrates the evolution of pastoral, agricultural and urban activity in the region.”
This picture help me remember a trip to Single Arch monument, but not at all on satelite maps… so… I dont know at this moment… but
Wadi Rum in Jordan
Wadi run in Jordan
Wadi Rum, Jordan …
the building right in the picture – Disah
The image shows Wadi Rum desert in Jordan,.
The town on the right side is Disha. On the left side you can see the Wadi Rum Visitor’s Center.
Looks like Devon Island to me, which I would love to visit, like being on Mars.
What do I win!
This place is Wadi Rum Desert in Jordan.
I want To work in Mars
This place is Wadi Rum Desert in Jordan. The image is in natural color
29.6813133N, 35.4348553E
Wadi rum key camp
Jabal Rum Camp … Aqaba, Jordan
I repeat my answer better. Ivan
Looks like a arid zone; is not a desert; probably USA, the picture shows human activity.
Looks like a arid zone; is not a desert.
This is the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan. The location was used to film the movie “The Martian” for its similarity in appearance to the Martian desert. Other movies such as Dune 2020, Rogue One, Rise of Skywalker, and Prometheus also used Wadi Rum as a location for filming.
I think it’s in Nevada
For purposes of this discussion I’ll assume the top of the photo is north.
The first thing that strikes the viewer is the movement of sand through rock formations. The rocks have been shaped by long term movement of sand in prevailing winds from a northwesterly direction to the southeast, or perhaps the reverse direction.
The red coloration to the sand made me think this was a photo from the recent Mars explorer until I noticed definite lines and shapes that are in regular formation that indicates human activity. The combination of red sand and largish outcroppings of rock make me think this is located somewhere along the North West coast of Africa.
It’s the wadi rum isn’t it
Andean valleys
Andean valley
The Wadi Rum area in Jordan has served as a filming location for many movies set on Mars, including one of the most recent, The Martian, starring Matt Damon.
https://www.nebotours.com/en/blog/details/1022/12-movies-filmed-in-wadi-rum
Wadi Rum , Jordan
It’s Wadi Rum area in Jordan ??
It’s known “ Valley of the Moon “
many Movies scenes set their ,
( Martian ) ( Indiana Jones ) ( Aladdin )
Namib Desert north western Namibia. In vicinity of Korixas.
Wadi Rum, Jordan!
ITS MIDDLE EAST MOST LIKELY AFRICA SOME WHERE,
ITS MIDDLE EAST MOST Jordan, Israel SOME WHERE,
This place looks like our country’s desert in Oman.
It’s Mars
Its somewhere in Arizona, hardly notice any shade from the sun, and could barely make out the highways in satellite image.
Sand desert with upstanding strongly jointed sandstone mountains. Geological history must involve an early cool period of riverine erosion followed by arid conditions with dominant wind erosion and sand deposition. Probable salt flats near NNE edge of image. Definitely Lawrence of Arabia country of Southern Jordan.
29.66 N, 35.47 E. Wadi Rum Protected Area, Jordan. Here is a movie shooting place of “Lawrence of Arabia”. It is dotted with the campgrounds which can experience desert here.
Jordan desert
Wadi Rum
Cheers!
Wadi Rum in Jordan
Wadi Rum, Jordan.
“Loot” Desert of IRAN ??
We have a photo showing a portion of Wadi Rum, Jordan, north of Disah. Coloration a result of the granite and sandstone. Location popular in off-Earth movies for it’s other-worldly appearance. See also TE Lawrence (thanks Wikipedia; donation on its way).
Nadia is the winner!
The rest of us are loosers
Nadia has a capability.