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February 7, 2026 - The Nile River
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The ancient Nile River, sometimes called the “Father of African Rivers” winds about 6,650 kilometers (4,132 miles) north from its origins south of the Equator to ultimately spill into the Mediterranean Sea. As it crosses the African desert regions, the Nile is often the only source of life-giving water, home to fish that provides food as well as a livelihood for many, and a major transportation route. The fertile flood plains allow the growth of crops and other plants.
On February 6, 2026, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of the Nile River as it winds through the country of Sudan.
The Nile courses through arid land throughout Sudan, and curls around a particularly rocky area called the Bayuda Desert, an area notable for its dark volcanic field as well its importance as a cradle of human history. Stone tools have been found that date between 2.6 and 1.7 million years BCE are thought to be among the earliest known tool industries. The Bayuda Desert is also a source of a rare mineral known as natron, which was used for mummification and also for making glass and ceramics.
The Nile swells to form a reservoir behind the Merowe Dam, one of the largest hydroelectric dams in Africa. The dam was completed in 2009 and effectively doubled Sudan’s supply of electricity.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 2/6/2026
Resolutions:
1km (114.8 KB), 500m (306.8 KB), 250m (325.5 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
The ancient Nile River, sometimes called the “Father of African Rivers” winds about 6,650 kilometers (4,132 miles) north from its origins south of the Equator to ultimately spill into the Mediterranean Sea. As it crosses the African desert regions, the Nile is often the only source of life-giving water, home to fish that provides food as well as a livelihood for many, and a major transportation route. The fertile flood plains allow the growth of crops and other plants.
On February 6, 2026, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of the Nile River as it winds through the country of Sudan.
The Nile courses through arid land throughout Sudan, and curls around a particularly rocky area called the Bayuda Desert, an area notable for its dark volcanic field as well its importance as a cradle of human history. Stone tools have been found that date between 2.6 and 1.7 million years BCE are thought to be among the earliest known tool industries. The Bayuda Desert is also a source of a rare mineral known as natron, which was used for mummification and also for making glass and ceramics. The Nile swells to form a reservoir behind the Merowe Dam, one of the largest hydroelectric dams in Africa. The dam was completed in 2009 and effectively doubled Sudan’s supply of electricity.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 2/6/2026
Resolutions:
1km (114.8 KB), 500m (306.8 KB), 250m (325.5 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
