Through Italy’s Smart Road Decree, the city was chosen as a test site for autonomous driving vehicles.
Published Oct 18, 2020This “Gateway to Mecca” stands along the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia.
Published Nov 27, 2017City lights trace the outline of Italy's “boot” and the island of Sicily.
Published Jul 4, 2011Astronauts are taught to concentrate on the shapes of coastlines for a visual cue about where they are when circling the planet. The nose of Cape Karmel and the bay that protects Haifa are shapes that stand out.
Published Mar 7, 2016Buenos Aires is one of the larger cities seen by orbiting crews. Twelve million people, almost one third of all Argentines, live in this city, often called the “Paris of the South”.
Published Mar 16, 2003The city of Jeddah is the second largest city in Saudi Arabia (after Riyadh), and is the country’s most important Red Sea port. This astronaut photograph depicts the downtown district of Al Balad, a residential area historically (and presently) occupied by wealthy merchants.
Published Jul 18, 2005The city of Seoul (originally known as Hanyang) has been the capital of Korea for more than 600 years. This astronaut photograph illustrates the Seoul urban area at night. Major roadways and river courses (such as the Han River) are clearly outlined by street lights, while the brightest lights indicate the downtown urban core (center of image) and large industrial complexes. One such complex is located at the far left of the image and occupies an island in the Yellow Sea. Very dark regions in the image are mountains or large bodies of water. Nighttime images have been used extensively in urban climate and urban growth research to map the extent of urban (bright) versus rural (dark) regions.
Published Jan 10, 2005The ancient city has been a bustling trade center for more than 2,000 years.
Published Jul 8, 2018This nighttime view of the British capital offers unique insight into the city’s urban density and infrastructure as highlighted by electrical lighting. Interpreting the brightest areas as the most populated, the population density drops off rapidly from the bright urban center until it reaches the vicinity of the Orbital, an encircling roadway.
Published Feb 23, 2003This astronaut photograph features two of China’s most populous cities: Beijing and Tianjin.
Published Dec 27, 2010