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March 3, 2026 - The Amazon Basin in Sunglint and Cloud
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On February 28, 2026, the rivers of Brazil’s Amazon Basin shimmered like silver on a background of deep green in this true-color image acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite.
The section of Brazil captured in this image centers on the city of Manaus which is hidden under a patch of heavy cloud. To the northwest, the heavily-braided Rio Negro and several of its tributaries shine brightly. The brightness is enhanced by white clouds lining the riverbanks and hovering between the braids of the rivers.
These clouds, in particular, make the Rio Negro look exceptionally large compared to the upper Amazon River (also known as the Solimões River) which twists southeastward and it flows towards Manaus. The Upper Amazon appears muddy but also begins to shine brightly near the cloud cover over Manaus. Just east of Manaus, the Rio Negro and the Solimões join to form the Lower Amazon River.
The stunning shiny glow is an optical phenomenon known as sunglint. This occurs when sunlight reflects off the surface of the water at the same angle that a satellite sensor views the surface. The result is a mirror-like specular reflectance that appears silver or exceptionally bright in true-color images.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 2/28/2026
Resolutions:
1km (376.6 KB), 500m (910.4 KB), 250m (1.2 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
On February 28, 2026, the rivers of Brazil’s Amazon Basin shimmered like silver on a background of deep green in this true-color image acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite.
The section of Brazil captured in this image centers on the city of Manaus which is hidden under a patch of heavy cloud. To the northwest, the heavily-braided Rio Negro and several of its tributaries shine brightly. The brightness is enhanced by white clouds lining the riverbanks and hovering between the braids of the rivers.
These clouds, in particular, make the Rio Negro look exceptionally large compared to the upper Amazon River (also known as the Solimões River) which twists southeastward and it flows towards Manaus. The Upper Amazon appears muddy but also begins to shine brightly near the cloud cover over Manaus. Just east of Manaus, the Rio Negro and the Solimões join to form the Lower Amazon River.
The stunning shiny glow is an optical phenomenon known as sunglint. This occurs when sunlight reflects off the surface of the water at the same angle that a satellite sensor views the surface. The result is a mirror-like specular reflectance that appears silver or exceptionally bright in true-color images.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 2/28/2026
Resolutions:
1km (376.6 KB), 500m (910.4 KB), 250m (1.2 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
