On October 16, 2019 the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a dramatic true-color image of the Andes wrapped in cloud and fog.

To the west, a large bank of marine stratocumulus cloud covers the Pacific Ocean and becomes fog (low cloud) over the thin coastline of Chile as it reaches into the valleys of the Andes. To the east, a thick bank of cloud shrouds almost all of northern Argentina. As the cloud bank meets the rise of the Andes, it appears to become fog and also fills the lower elevations and valleys. The borderline between Chile and Argentina runs roughly north to south through the Andes.

Image Facts

Satellite: Terra

Date Acquired: 10/16/2019

Resolutions: , ,

Bands Used: 1,4,3

Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC