A Korean satellite has caught an eye-catching view of an Island in Mexico known for a deep , rocky hole and waters so dark that they earned it the name Holbox , a name that means "black hole."
The photo was taken by the Korea Mulit-purpose Satellite 2 , or Kompsat-2 , and shows Holbox Island and its lagoon at the northeast corner of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula .
Holbox Island is a 26-mile-long strip of land separated from the mainland by the lagoon.
"The freshwater lagoon has a deep rocky hole that surrounds the island , making the water appear black ," officials with the Eurpoan Space Agency , which is a partner in the
Kompast-2 mission , explained "it is thought that Holbox , which in Mayan translates as 'black hole,' was named after the dark laggon water."
Holbox Island is situated at an b oceanic meeting points of sorts where the Atlantic Ocean , Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean converge .The mixing of three waters creates a nutrient rich environmrnt that supports an abundant array of marine life , ESA officials said .[The world's biggest Oceans and Seas ] At Caboe Catoche , a cape at the eastern tip of the Island , the mixing of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico creates a veritable Kaleid oscope of watery turquoise and emerald colors .
Because of its hosts of marine life , Holbox Island and its surrounding Waters are protected as part of the Yum Balam Bisophere Reserve . The Islands beaches of white coralline sand serve as a vital home for turtle nests and more than 500 species of birds , while dolphins , manta rays and several shark species swimmoff shore. The region is also home to the worlds largest known gathering of whale sharks , the largest fish on the planet ... for five months of the year , ESA officials said .
The Kompsat-2 satellite has been snapping photos of Earth from orbit since it luanched into space in 2006 . The Satellite was built for the Korea Areospace Rearch Institute to provide uninterrupted Earth observation coverage following it's prodecessor , Kompsat-1.
ESA serves as a third party partner in the mission and uses ground-based infrastructure to receive , process and distribute the image from Kompsat-2.
