Satellite imagery can show us fantastic and beautiful views of Earth. This image captured on November 22, 2008 shows vibrate blues and reds and looks more like a painting than a picture of the earth.
Acquired by Envisat’s MERIS instrument, the image shows the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. Red tides are caused by algae blooms and are usually found in coastal areas.
The algae grow on the surface of the ocean, occasionally giving it a reddish-brown tint. High densities of algae blooms color the water, in this case red.
Images like this are used to monitor red tides which can cause damage to the desalinization plants in the area.
