Astronauts’ breath-taking views of earth from space showing mysterious ring around Tehran and other amazing rare images

[mystery-ak]

Astronauts’ breath-taking views of earth from space showing mysterious ring around Tehran and other amazing rare images

By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 13:15 EST, 17 February 2013 | UPDATED: 15:42 EST, 17 February 2013

   

Astronauts from NASA and its international affiliate programs took awe-inspiring photos of our planet from outer space.

The breath-taking photos show a peculiar purple ring around Tehran, Iran, as well volcanoes, deserts, Caribbean islands and Northern Lights, among other incredible sights.

The images were taken from from the International Space Station and posted online by NASA astronaut Thomas Marshburn, Canadian astronaut Chris Hatfield and their space colleagues.

'The Earth has problem skin; one popped, the other didn't,' Hatfield jokingly wrote after uploading a volcano that had erupted next to a one that had not.

Scroll down to see all 16 images.


What is it? Chris Hadfield posted this photo on February 8 and wrote, 'Tehran, Iran - shining in the night. Does anyone know what the bright blue oval is?' Twitter users responded that the glowing oval was the city's airport


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2280065/Astronauts-breath-taking-views-earth-space-showing-mysterious-ring-Tehran-amazing-rare-images.html#ixzz2LCZsbkVz

many more photos at link

[Rapunzel]

What is the blue oval?

[famousdayandyear]

Just a very amateurish point of view, but appears to me it was "hand done" post imagery transmitted

[Oceander]

What is the blue oval?

Here's one answer from a comment posted to the original article:

The purple ring is not Tehran`s airport but is in fact the Azadi Tower which dominates the Azadi Square. Picture a HUGE roundabout-type layout with the Tower in the centre and surrounded by almost a lace-work set of pathways. When lit at night you will get that purple ring effect. (Never been to Iran, I just matched the picture and Google Maps and zoomed in on the area !!!)

- Ernie , Tring City, United Kingdom, 18/2/2013 00:13

That actually makes a lot of sense.  First, here's a panoramic view of the square during the day:

And here's an overhead/satellite photo:

And it does get pretty gaudily lit up at night:

[Rapunzel]

Thanks, O... O wondered if it was a soccer field or something of the sort.