Peros Banhos
- STS049-71-84
- 08 May 1992
- 06:51 UTC
Peros Banhos is a small atoll formation located in the northern section of the Chagos Archipelago, situated 24 km west from the Salomon Islands and 40 km north from the northern edge of the Great Chagos Bank; Diego Garcia lies 205 km to the southwest. The atoll is approximately square-shaped, measuring 28 km (east to west) and 26 km (north to south).
The atoll consists of a series of broken reef segments (around a dozen in number) on the north, east and west sides that are separated by deep channels, and together enclose a moderately deep central lagoon; much of the southern reef rim, by contrast, is completely submerged. Upon the reef top are situated 35 islands and islets.
image: earth sciences and image analysis laboratory, nasa johnson space center
