An astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured this photo of Lake Gregory in the remote Great Sandy Desert of northwestern Australia.
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured this photo of Lake Gregory in the remote Great Sandy Desert of northwestern Australia. Lake Gregory, at 16 kilometers (10 miles) wide, is the largest and only permanent waterbody in a network of brackish lakes and associated wetlands. The water displays blue and green hues and is surrounded by an extensive field of tan and orange-toned linear dunes.
Lake Gregory, also known as Paraku or Paruku, and its surrounding wetlands are part of the Paruku Indigenous Protected Area, which is managed by its Traditional Owners, including the Walmajarri, Jaru, and Kukatja peoples. The area has a thriving tourist presence.
Sturt Creek supplies water to the lake from the north. The image depicts a gray-brown delta where the river flows into the lakes and wetlands. A smaller feeder river channel enters Lake Gregory from the northeast. The irregular shapes of numerous, slightly lighter-toned burned areas mark the linear dunes. A small smoke plume is visible north of Lake Gregory.
Read More: NASA Earth Observatory
Photo Credit: NASA Earth Observatory image (inset) by Michala Garrison
