NASA image from space of Alexandria, Cairo and the Nile Valley at night. Greater Cairo, now with an estimated population of 18 million, shines like a small sun in the midst of the Nile Valley.
Night-Time View of Alexandria, Cairo and the Nile Valley from the NASA Space Station
Best wishes for a joyous Thanksgiving to Professor Cole and all who read his informative blog.
Cairo definitely has a population of above 20 million. During working hours, it jumps to 25 million +
While the image is indeed quite lovely, there are some shocking political realities laid bare. First and foremost is the huge burst in carbon emissions needed to power all of the lights that light the Nile as well as Luxor, the Pyramids, Cairo, and Alexandria. Then there is the glaring and harsh lack of illumination throughout Gaza, while Israel is beaming brightly. The whole is a tragic beauty for me.
WRT the carbon footprint, I don’t ever recall seeing a coal-fired generating plant in Egypt, nor an oil-fired one for that matter. Perhaps you mean that they should export all the hydroelectric power generated by the Aswan Dam so that others won’t burn coal and the Egyptians can remain in the dark like the rest of the Sahara!
“Night-Time View of Alexandria, Cairo and the Nile Valley from the NASA Space Station”
Er… sorry. It’s actually the International Space Station. Better get with the program. Pretty soon, with the Space Shuttle phasing out, you’ll be hitching a ride with the Russians if you want to come visit.
What a beautiful photo!
Such a pic shows humans’ dependence on Earth’s natural resources, which are finite and precious, especially fresh water. May we all be grateful for such gifts, and respect nature with understanding, care, love and sharing.