Earth observation taken during STS-98 mission

STS098-716-034 (18 February 2001) --- This east-to-west orbital view of the Inn River Valley of southern Austria was photographed by one the crew members of Atlantis during Space Shuttle Mission STS-98 on February 18, 2001, as the spacecraft orbited Earth at an altitude of 173 nautical miles (320 kilometers). Despite the heavy ground fog in the lower valleys, this 70mm handheld camera's photo provides a strikingly detailed view of the Italian, Swiss and Austrian Alps of central Europe. For example, the famous Brenner Pass, an historic gateway connecting Italy to the rest of Europe, can be seen in the left central foreground. The Austrian city of Innsbruck on the Inn River, scene of the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics, and normally visible in great detail, is completely masked by heavy ground fog. Center coordinates of the pictured area are located at 47.5 degrees north latitude and 12.5 degrees east longitude.