A Snowy Grand Canyon: A View from Space

On a clear winter day, a striking view of the Grand Canyon was captured from space. An astronaut on the International Space Station photographed the famous canyon following a major winter storm. Recent snowfall left a bright white border along the highest rims of the canyon.

A severe winter storm had covered the region with snow for two days before the photos were taken. The snowy and icy conditions created dangerous situations for travelers. As a result, officials at Grand Canyon National Park closed Desert View Drive, a vital road following the South Rim path. Park staff also issued warnings to hikers regarding icy and slippery trails. The North Rim, which is always closed to vehicle traffic during winter, remained shut. Although the road on the South Rim reopened around the time the astronaut took the pictures, a thin layer of snow still covered both the North and South Rims.

Snowfall is a common winter event at the high elevations of the Grand Canyon. On average, the South Rim receives about 58 inches of snow each winter season. The higher North Rim gets even more, averaging around 142 inches per season. In contrast, the inner parts of the canyon are much warmer. In these lower areas, winter precipitation usually falls as rain instead of snow. For instance, on a recent day in late January, snow was falling heavily on the plateau above, while a weather station at the very bottom of the canyon recorded only light rain at the same time.

In the space station photos, the Grand Canyon can appear to be a mountain range rather than a deep trench in the ground. This interesting visual effect is known as relief inversion. Many people's brains expect light in a picture to come from the top. However, in these photographs, the Sun was positioned in the southern sky, shining from the bottom of the frame. This unusual lighting direction changes where the shadows fall. The bright snow on the flat, high plateau areas helps to highlight the highest ground, adding to the illusion.

The astronaut photographs were captured during a recent winter mission. A crew member used a high-quality digital camera with a long lens. The images are part of the International Space Station Crew Earth Observations Facility, which is operated by NASA's Johnson Space Center. The pictures were processed to improve contrast and to remove minor lens effects. This work receives support from the International Space Station Program. The main goal is to collect useful images of Earth for scientists and for the public to enjoy. Many more photographs taken by astronauts and cosmonauts are available for viewing online.