Earth Observation

ISS040-E-043230 (6 July 2014) --- As in the case of many previous space missions, the Great Salt Lake in Utah serves as a striking visual marker for the Expedition 40 crew members orbiting 222 nautical miles over North America aboard the International Space Station. A 200mm focal length was used to capture the image. A sharp line across the lake's center is caused by the restriction in water flow from the railroad causeway. The eye-catching colors of the lake stem from the fact that Great Salt Lake is hypersaline, typically 3-5 times saltier than the ocean.