Southern Japan from space. North is at top left. Southern Honshu Island (lower left to centre) and Shikoku Island (lower centre) are separated by the

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Southern Japan from space. North is at top left. Southern Honshu Island (lower left to centre) and Shikoku Island (lower centre) are separated by the Seto Inland Sea. The rest of Japan, obscured by clouds, recedes northwards over the horizon. The Sea of Japan is at upper left, the Pacific Ocean lies at right. Darker land areas are mountainous, while lighter coastal areas are urbanized, with the city of Osaka at centre. Geological fault lines, running through Shikoku Island parallel to the Seto Inland Sea, reflect Japan's location at a boundary of the Eurasian and Philippine tectonic plates. Photographed on 14 April 1994, during mission STS-59 by the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

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Size: 3751px × 3852px
Photo credit: © NASA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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