Satellite: Aqua Date Acquired: 10/23/2009 Resolutions: 1km (342.6 KB) 500m (1.2 MB) 250m (3.1 MB) Bands Used: 1,4,3 Credit: Jeff Schmaltz MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC View this image interactively

This image, captured by the MODIS on the Aqua satellite on October 23, 2009 shows agricultural fires burning in northwestern India. Each red dot marks hotspots associated with actively burning fires.

Many of the blazes have produced small plumes of smoke. The smoke and haze is spread towards the southeast. A combination of smoke and urban air pollution might be at play here. Both hug the southern face of the Himalaya - the mountains are so tall that smoke doesn't spread past them.

Curator: Brandon Maccherone
NASA Official: Shannell Cardwell