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Fires across Mexico and Central America which created heavy smoke plumes for a few weeks in May and June, 1998, were recorded on 70mm film by the crewmembers of STS-91. The smoke circulated around a high pressure system over the Gulf of Mexico and brought thick smoke and soot to the south central United States. Scientists are looking at burning regions like this around the world to study the smokes affect on the albedo or the reflectance of the sun's rays and how it may influence the world's climate. This view captures the area from the Gulf of Tehuantepec, on the south side, to the Bay of Campeche to the north in early June 1998.