ESA astronaut and geophysicist Alexander Gerst (Germany) publishes many interesting and unusual footage, which is not surprising, given that he is located on perhaps the best observation platform - the ISS. More recently, Gerst posted videos and photographs from orbit showing the strength of Hurricane Florence, dramatic views of California's deadly wildfires, and even an astonishing time-lapse of the Aurora Borealis.
Now he has posted rare footage showing the red-brown rock of Uluru in Australia, which is located in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Uluru, located about 450 kilometers from the town of Alice Springs, is one of Australia's most popular natural tourism destinations, but it is also a sacred site for the local Anangu tribe. Archaeologists suggest that the aborigines inhabited the area 10 thousand years ago. According to the Anangu tribe, this land and rock require respect as a cradle of life - a key that gushes out of the ground, and caves have provided life for local tribes for hundreds of years.
You can see Uluru in the left picture. On the right side is Mount Kata Tjuta (Olga). ESA astronaut Thoma Pesquet (France) posted a stunning 2017 photo of Uluru from the ISS. The pictures of Gerst and Peske are an exceptional opportunity to admire Uluru, especially from this distance.
Although tourists were allowed to climb the cliff since the 1930s, strong resistance from Aboriginal people led to a vote to ban the practice. The ban came into force on October 29 this year.
