Bombetoka Bay is a bay on the northwestern coast of Madagascar, where the Betsiboka River flows into the Mozambique Channel. It is near the city of Mahajanga,  a popular tourist destination, and also an administrative district on the northwest coast of Madagascar. Here are the 5 most amazing photos of Bombetoka Bay from space.

Photos of Bombetoka Bay from space

Bombetoka Bay is fed by the Betsiboka River and is a frequent subject of astronaut photography due to its amazing view from space and striking red floodplain sediments.

1. An Otherworldly-Looking Bombetoka Bay from the ISS

Bombetoka Bay from the ISS. April 23, 2020.
Apr 23, 2020 – On the northwestern coast of Madagascar, the salty waters of the Mozambique Channel penetrate inland to join with the freshwater outflow of the Betsiboka River, forming Bombetoka Bay. Numerous islands and sandbars have formed in the estuary from the large amount of sediment carried in by the Betsiboka River and have been shaped by the flow of the river and the push and pull of tides. Image Credit: U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team, NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS Link: NASA

2. A brown-colored Betsiboka River

Bombetoka Bay from space (2002)
In this photo above, which was taken in 2002 with an altitude of 407 kilometers (253 miles), the Betsiboka River appears to be brown in color. NASA Photo ID: ISS005-E-9418
Bombetoka Bay from the ISS. April 23, 2020.

Related: Most beautiful Earth images taken from the International Space Station in 2020

3. A Close-Up View of the Betsiboka river

A Close-Up View of the Betsiboka river. November 4, 2018
A Close-Up View of the Betsiboka River. November 4, 2018. In the photograph taken by an astronaut aboard the International State Station, you can see even the mangrove trees. Along coastlines and on the islands, the vegetation is predominantly mangrove forests. In fact, Bombetoka Bay is home to some of Madagascar’s largest remaining communities of mangroves. The braided Betsiboka River carries sediment from the island’s high central plateau and mountains toward the western coast, where it empties into Bombetoka Bay and the Mozambique Channel. The delta is comprised of complex woven channels flowing between vegetated islands of built-up sediment. The small islands have erosional features along their edges where water flows down into the river channels.
Nearly a century of extensive logging of Madagascar’s rainforests and coastal mangroves has resulted in nearly complete clearing of the land and very high rates of erosion.
Image: NASA

4. Betsiboka Estuary in 2004

Betsiboka Estuary in 2004
Betsiboka Estuary in 2004. This astronaut photograph ISS008-E-19233 was taken on March 25, 2004, with a Kodak DCS760 digital camera equipped with a 195 mm lens.

5. Estuaries in the Northwest Coast of Madagascar

Estuaries in the Northwest Coast of Madagascar
Estuaries in the Northwest Coast of Madagascar.
Estuaries are regions where freshwater from rivers and saltwater from the ocean mix, and they are among the most biologically productive ecosystems on Earth. This astronaut photograph (ISS028-E-6687), taken from the International Space Station on June 2, 2011, highlights two estuaries along the northwestern coastline of Madagascar: Betsiboka River and Bombetoka Bay on the left, Mahajamba Bay, Sofia River, and Mahajamba River on the right. The Mozambique Channel on top of this photo separates Madagascar island from the southeastern coast of Africa. Image: NASA

Sources

  1. Bombetoka Bay on Wikipedia
M. Özgür Nevres
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