SPACEPHOTOS

The two most obvious features in this near-vertical photograph of south-central Pennsylvania are the northeast-southwest trending, folded Appalachian Mountains and the north-to-south flowing Susquehanna River. Farming predominates land use in the valleys and rolling hills—in particular, farming activities in the Lancaster area with the Amish communities known for their old-fashioned farming practices. A segment of the old Lincoln Highway (U.S. Highway 30) that connects Philadelphia and Pittsburgh is barely visible in the bottom third of the photograph. Major cities along this highway are Lancaster, York, and Hanover (east to west). This route was one of the major arteries that connected the more densely settled eastern seaboard with the western frontier in the 1800s and early 1900s. Near the center of the photograph, the highly reflective, linear feature along the eastern bank of the Susquehanna River is Harrisburg International Airport, which is located south of the state capital of Harrisburg. Part of Interstate Highway 83 (north-south) that connects York with Harrisburg is visible west of the river. Several water gaps can be seen where the Susquehanna River cuts through the Appalachian Mountains north of Harrisburg.