Yellowstone National Park from Space

Provided by: NASA JSC, Earth Sciences
Summary authors & editors: Jim Foster

This photograph of Yellowstone National Park was taken from an unmanned spacecraft mission on July 21, 1996 from about 238 miles above the Earth's surface. Encompassing nearly 3,500 square miles in northwest Wyoming, Yellowstone has approximately 300 geysers and 10,000 hot springs and steam vents - the park includes the world’s largest and most varied collection of geothermal phenomena. Yellowstone is one of the most popular summer vacation destinations west of the Mississippi River. On the low oblique photograph above, north is towards the upper right hand corner. Jackson Lake and the Grand Teton Mountains (outside the park) is at the extreme left, Yellowstone Lake is at the left center, and the Absaroka Mountains of Montana and northern Wyoming are to the right and below(north and east) of Yellowstone Lake. Note that some still clings to the higher ridges. A portion of the Wind/Bighorn River basin is at the bottom right. Old Faithful (not visible on the photograph) is just above the small lake (Shoshone Lake) to the upper right of Yellowstone Lake.

Related Links:

• Earth from Space
• Johnson Space Center photo archive
• More About Yellowstone
• Ultimate Space Place

 

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