MSGID: 1:317/3 649f182a   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   June 30, 2023 - Badain Jaran and Tengger Desert   
      
      [image06302023_main.jpg]   
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      On June 29, 2023, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer   
      (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of   
      two deserts that stretch across western Inner Mongolia, China, each   
      marked by swaths of dark tan sand.   
      
      In the west, the Badain Jaran stretches across an area roughly the size   
      of Costa Rica. Badain Jaran is famous for a vast field of megadunes,   
      which tower between 660 to 980 feet (200 to 300 meters) high. The   
      tallest is the Bilutu Sand Peak, said to be the tallest sand dune on   
      Earth. It measures 1,500 feet (460 meters) tall, or roughly the same   
      height as New York’s Empire State Building. The extremely arid Badain   
      Jaran holds other surprises, too. Despite the fact that this desert   
      receives less than 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each year, dozens of lakes   
      speckle the sandy environment, especially in the southeast. The most   
      stunning is Honghaizi, which has been called the “heart of the Earth”   
      due to its red-tinted waters. More than 110 species of birds have been   
      recorded near Honghaizi, including migrants and year-round residents.   
      
      The Tengger Desert is situated to the south and east of Badain Jaran   
      and at the southern edge of the massive Gobi Desert. It is an inland   
      drainage basin, although it is very far from any ocean or even frequent   
      rain. It is the fourth largest desert in China, but it is also dotted   
      with dozens of lakes, including Swan Lake and Moon Lake which can be   
      visited. “Tengger” means “sky” in Mongolian, and is said to be a   
      description of the rolling sands meeting an apparently endless sky.   
      Swans migrate across the lake region of the Tengger Desert in both   
      spring and autumn, drawing birdwatchers to this unique location.   
      
      Image Facts   
      Satellite:   
      Date Acquired: 6/29/2023   
      Resolutions:   
      Bands Used:   
      Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC   
      
      
      
   https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2023-06-30   
       
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