The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
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Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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This animation shows before-and-after satellite images over two harvest seasons in 2012 in the eastern Nile Delta. Owing to the reflection of infrared light, vegetation appears bright green in the two images acquired before harvest. But once the crops were reaped, the overall colour dulls with the drop in vegetation. The grey spots that are visible throughout the time series are towns and other inhabited areas.
The arid and desert areas in the right and lower portions of the images also remain constant throughout the year since there is little to no vegetation here – and no agriculture. The upper portion of the images also shows unchanging dark areas, but we can see the lines of division resembling agricultural structures. These areas could be covered by water – such as rice paddies – or the vegetation could be covered for protection.
This animation is featured on the Earth from Space video programme.